


The Conversation's Trivial But Trivial Is Fine

by DreamingKate



Category: Glee
Genre: AU Klaine, Brain Damaged Blaine, Hate Crime, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 19:23:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 44,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1910793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamingKate/pseuds/DreamingKate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine is injured in a hate crime and suffers from brain damage as a result. After waiting for days for him to wake up Kurt is horrified to find that Blaine has Wernicke's Aphasia and can not understand anything that is said to him or say anything that makes sense.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been six days.  
  
Six days since Kurt last heard Blaine laugh, saw him smile, or looked into his eyes.   
  
Six days since Blaine had dropped Kurt off at home, gone to get gas, and had been beaten into a coma with a tire iron.   
  
Kurt had spent six whole days sitting by his boyfriend’s side, staring at his too still face and the steady rise and fall of his chest. However, instead of the quiet hopelessness that normally filled the room it was filled with excitement.  
  
After six miserable days Blaine was finally waking up.  
  
He had started twitching, turning his head and moaning. Every so often he would open hazy eyes and stare around the room, not completely aware of what was happening before falling back into a deep sleep.  
  
“I think he’ll be okay,” Kurt said with a bright smile. “I mean, he’s waking up finally and the doctors thought it would take a much longer time.”  
  
“Kurt, remember what the doctor said,” Amy Anderson smiled tiredly at him from where she was sitting. “He sustained a brain injury. We won’t know how bad it is until he really wakes up.”  
  
“Blaine is so strong,” Kurt said, gently finishing up as he shaved his boyfriend’s face. “He’ll be fine.”  
  
Amy nodded carefully, hoping that Kurt wouldn’t get too hopeful about her son’s outcome. She had sat in the waiting room for hours that nights hearing things like broken ribs, shattered wrist, bleed in the brain, coma, and thirty percent chance of waking.   
  
She had honestly thought her son was going to die.   
  
Blaine let out a soft moan, opening and blinking his hazel eyes. Everyone in the room froze as his head turned from side to side before he was finally able to lock eyes with Kurt.  
  
“Blaine!” Kurt grabbed his hand and tears sprung to his eyes when he squeezed back. “Oh God you’re awake! Please be awake for real this time!”   
  
Blaine smiled softly, wincing as it aggravated a bruise. He ran his thumb along Kurt’s wrist, keeping a firm grip on Kurt’s hand. A doctor rushed into the room, followed by Amy who was smiling tearfully.  
  
“Blaine!” The doctor leaned over him smiling at Kurt who stepped away. “You’re awake, how do you feel?”  
  
Frowning, Blaine stared up at the doctor blankly.  
  
“Okay, let’s just get some yes or no questions. Do you know where you are?” The doctor asked, pulling out his chart and clicking his pen.   
  
“Down plack to,” Blaine started mumbling, looking confused.  
  
“Alright, just calm down,” The doctor frowned. “Do you know your name?”  
  
“Just quell,” He tried again, taking in the confused faces all around him.   
  
“Let me check your eyes,” The doctor smiled but Blaine jerked away as soon as he lifted the pen light.  
  
He let out a small sound of distress, eyes wide with fear as he caught Kurt’s gaze again.   
  
“Blaine, what’s wrong?” Kurt jumped forward and grabbed his hand. “Talk to me sweetheart.”  
  
Now breathing erratically, Blaine flickered his eyes back and forth. He started shaking his head quickly, squeezing his eyes shut.  
  
“There pool to us west illo tartin. I need harkin about the reading,” Blaine said in a rush and looked even more distressed by the horrified looks from everyone in the room.  
  
“We’ll need to get a speech specialist to test him,” The doctor paged a nurse before giving Blaine a reassuring smile.   
  
“What’s happening?” Amy asked frantically, moving to Blaine’s side to brush back his hair. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“I can’t be certain, and it is really rare, but he might have Wernicke’s Aphasia. Blaine did show some damage in parts of his temporal lobe and it may have caused more problems than we thought,” The doctor said gently, keeping a happy tone in his voice. “He is showing trouble understanding spoken language and forming sentences.”  
  
“So he can’t understand anything or say anything?” Amy asked, tightening her grip on her clearly terrified son’s shoulder.   
  
“Let’s run some more tests,” The doctor said lightly, still keeping a smile on his face. “If it is aphasia we can put him into some therapy programs to help with his speech. Just for now keep your tone light so he doesn’t get upset or scared.”  
  
“He’s not a dog,” Kurt snarled, feeling Blaine grip his hand tighten. “You can’t just put on a happy voice and it’ll be alright.”  
  
“It’ll be alright,” The doctor said but continued smiling.   
  
Kurt scowled but grabbed at a nearby notebook and scribbled down a message for Blaine.  
  
 _You’re going to be okay._  
  
Blaine stared at the paper for a few moments before looking up at Kurt with tears flashing in his eyes.  
  
“Most people with Wernicke’s aren’t able to comprehend written language either,” The doctor said softly as Blaine took the paper himself.  
  
He tried writing but his hands shook too much to make any more than a few deep scratches with the pen. When Blaine finally got his grip he wasn’t able to form any words. With a sob, he shoved the paper away from him before covering his face with his hands.  
  
Kurt rubbed at his shoulder and shushed him softly, knowing that he couldn’t understand anything that was said.   
  
“Mrs. Anderson, can I speak to you outside about his injuries?” The doctor asked and Amy kissed her son on the head before stepping out.  
  
Kurt sat on the side of the bed, pulling Blaine’s head to his shoulder and rubbed his back. He closed his eyes as he felt the tremors from his boyfriend and squeezed his arms, avoiding the bandages and cast on Blaine’s left arm.  
  
“Pills to the green Saturday,” Blaine said shakily, turning his eyes up to meet Kurt’s.  
  
“Honey, I can’t understand you,” Kurt whispered and Blaine closed his eyes tightly, tears running down his face.   
  
Blaine picked at his cast, trying to take deep breaths. After a few minutes, the pain medication made him fall asleep on Kurt’s chest.   
  
“Blaine wanted to teach music,” Amy spoke up from the doorway, face wet with tears. “Elementary. He was always so good with children and you know that he’s so talented when it comes to music.”  
  
“I didn’t know that,” Kurt whispered.  
  
“He’s been looking into education programs all over the country,” She wiped at her eyes and gave him a shaky smile.   
  
“What did the doctor say?” Kurt asked, feeling his heart constrict at the expression on her face.  
  
“It is presenting as Wernicke’s. They’re going to try a bunch of different therapies to try and help his speech or comprehension,” She sighed, rubbing at her arms. “Oh God, he’ll never be able to teach. He will never be able to get a decent job or go to college.”  
  
“No,” Kurt blinked against the tears building in his eyes.  
  
“You should go call your dad sweetie,” Amy said, waiting until Kurt got off the bed before smoothing down Blaine’s blankets.   
  
He stumbled out into the hallway and walked until he got to a small secluded waiting room. Hands trembling, Kurt dialed his father’s number and waited.  
  
“Hey Kurt!” Burt’s happy voice interrupted the dial tone. “Are visiting hours over? Do you need a ride?”   
  
“Blaine woke up,” His lips quirked into a slight smile.  
  
“Thank God! I was so worried about that boy!” Burt sighed. “How’s he doing? Still in quite a bit of pain I suppose.”  
  
“Um…dad, Blaine is showing signs of brain damage,” Kurt’s voice broke slightly. “He can’t understand anything or say anything that makes sense.”  
  
“Oh,” His father muttered after a long moment.  
  
“And he’s just so scared. He doesn’t know what’s going on and we don’t know if he’ll ever get better,” He let out a choked sob. “I don’t know what to do dad.”  
  
“I’m on my way,” The click of the phone hanging up sounded unnaturally loud in the silent room.   
  
Kurt leaned back, scrubbing at his face and sighed.  
  
He had gotten the phone call at exactly three minutes past midnight. Blaine’s mother had sobbed out that he had been badly beaten and was in critical condition. Ever since he had not left his boyfriend’s side, getting notes from school and having his father call him in sick.   
  
The idea that Blaine might never be able to understand him or even talk to him completely broke his heart. He would live in a world where he couldn’t understand anything or really communicate.   
  
Kurt had never told Blaine he loved him and now he never would be able to.   
  
“Kurt?” He snapped his head up to see him father standing in the doorway holding a bag. His face fell when he saw the tears on his son’s face. “Oh Kurt.”  
  
He wrapped arms around Kurt’s shaking shoulders and rubbed his back as he sobbed. Burt gently shushed him and rocked him back and forth.  
  
“I can’t talk to him,” Kurt choked out, breathing harshly. “He thinks he makes sense but we can’t explain that he doesn’t. He just starts spouting out random words and he’s so lost.”  
  
“It’ll be okay,” Burt whispered into his ear.  
  
“What if it isn’t? How will he ever be able to communicate with other people? How will he ever be able to do anything he wants in his life?” Kurt sniffled. “How will our relationship work through this?”  
  
“Kurt, you care about Blaine very much,” Burt gave his son a tight hug.  
  
“I never told Blaine I love him,” Kurt blurted, interrupting Burt. “I never told him and now he will never be able to hear me say it. I can’t ever have a conversation with him ever again.”  
  
“Kurt,” Burt made his son look him in the eye. “He knows. And true love doesn’t need words.”  
  
Kurt sobbed until he finally fell asleep in his father’s arms. Burt smoothed down his son’s messy hair and lifted him up into his arms like he did when Kurt was a small child. He set him down onto the couch, covering him with his jacket and sat down heavily in a nearby plastic chair.  
  
Ever since the attack Burt had hardly slept. He had heard about these vicious attacks on gay kids but he never considered this would happen to someone like Blaine. Someone so…unobvious.   
  
It shook him to the core.  
  
Burt sighed and took one look at his exhausted son before pulling a burger out of the bag by his feet and settling down to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Kurt woke up with a pounding headache and puffy, swollen eyes. He sat up, wincing at the crick in his neck from the stiff couch, and looked around.   
  
“You’re up!” Burt smiled at him as he walked in, handing his son a cup of coffee. “How are you?”  
  
“Achy,” He took a long swig. “Where have you been?”  
  
“I was talking with Blaine’s mom. He’s getting some tests done and since his dad can’t come back until tomorrow, she needed someone to talk to,” Burt shrugged but Kurt sat up suddenly.  
  
“How is he? How long has he been awake? Can I see him?” He jumped up, smoothing down his wrinkled shirt.   
  
Without getting an answer he sprinted to Blaine’s room, getting there just as the therapist was leaving the room.   
  
“Mrs. Anderson,” The therapist pulled out several pamphlets and sheets and handed them to her. “Blaine is definitely presenting with Wernicke’s aphasia. Here are a couple of programs we can try to get his comprehension up but right now I just think he’s frustrated.”  
  
Kurt pushed past the woman and rushed into the room.  
  
Blaine was curled up onto his side, cradling his broken wrist to his chest. When Kurt neared him he glanced up sadly.  
  
“Blaine…sweetheart….” Kurt said slowly, hoping that would help. “Don’t…be…upset…it…makes…me…”  
  
Then Blaine shook his head, eyes growing glassy.   
  
Kurt made a soft hum of reassurance before sliding into the bed next to him, wrapping his arms carefully around his boyfriend.  
  
“I went through earrings onto salt,” Blaine said desperately, jerking around to look at Kurt.  
  
Kurt didn’t respond not wanting to upset Blaine further by saying anything and pressed a kiss to his forehead.   
  
“You look drain halp,” Blaine whispered, pressing a desperate kiss to his lips. Kurt held him tightly and threaded his fingers through Blaine’s curls.   
  
Blaine gently traced fingers along Kurt’s arm and it took him a few moments before he realized he was making small hearts on the pale skin. Kurt smiled and drew one onto the back of his boyfriend’s neck.   
  
He grabbed the sharpie that was left on the bedside table and drew a bold heart right on Blaine’s cast, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to read anything. Blaine smiled, took the marker and repeated it, shakily, on Kurt’s hand.  
  
The two remained curled up on the bed, humming random songs.   
  
The next morning found Kurt sitting in a nearby chair as the speech therapist walked in with her ponytail bobbing.   
  
“Good morning!” She said brightly, giving a small wave to Blaine. “I think I met you only in passing, I’m Amanda.”  
  
“Kurt, I’m Blaine’s boyfriend,” Kurt shook her hand, giving her a small smile.  
  
“I’m so glad that he has such a strong support system,” She put a folder down on a small table at the end of the bed. “If you want, I can give you some pamphlets and information.”  
  
“Yes please!” Kurt smiled, prompting a wide grin from Blaine as well. He had been sitting in the hospital ever since the attack and had been treated like a child ever since. Being seen as an adult and an active participant in Blaine’s treatment made him feel far less hopeless.  
  
“Okay, so the tests have shown damage in Wernicke’s area. That part of the brain is mostly involved in understanding spoken and written language. When the area is damaged, he can use proper syntax, grammar, and sentence flow but the content is not understandable,” Amanda explained, pointing out key facts on one of the pamphlets.   
  
“Can he get better?” Kurt asked, looking over to where Blaine was tracing the words with his fingers but not able to understand.  
  
“Sometimes it’ll get better on its own. He’s young, so that’s helpful, usually the people who have this condition are much older and have had a stroke. I think he’ll get better but we need to get started on some therapy to help him along,” Amanda pulled up a chair and opened her bag.  
  
“Let me know if there is anything I can do to help him,” Kurt added, smiling warmly at a confused Blaine.  
  
“We’ll just try to get him to name things at first,” She pulled out a blue pen and got Blaine attention with a wave of her hand. “Blaine, repeat after me. What is this?”  
  
Blaine stared at her uncomprehending until he finally realized why she kept pointing at the pen.  
  
“Ah! Leafly,” He said quickly, pointing at the pen.   
  
“Pen, this is a pen,” Amanda drew out the words, handing him the pen and repeating it again.   
  
“Leafly,” Blaine murmured, running his fingers over the pen.  
  
“Okay, what is this?” Amanda help up a small notebook.  
  
“Grey,” He responded, frowning at the sad look on Kurt’s face. “No, sings towards the grey.”  
  
“Notebook,” Amanda gave him the notebook and again let him touch it as she repeated the word.  
  
“And this?” She lifted up Kurt’s Dalton tie that was resting on a table.  
  
“A tie,” Blaine’s face split into a wide grin when Kurt sat up suddenly, eyes huge. He laughed when Kurt nodded frantically, curling his fingers around the striped fabric. “A tie, a tie, a tie.”  
  
“Sometimes when it’s a constant factor in their lives it’s easier to come by,” Amanda was smiling and rubbing his back.  
  
“Then I went colors park to the quesor,” Blaine said happily but his smile faded when he saw Kurt’s frown. He slumped slightly in his seat, realizing again that no one understood him.  
  
Kurt smiled and leaned forward, taking his hand.  
  
“A tie,” Blaine said again, rubbing the fabric between his fingers.   
  
After that Blaine really didn’t seem willing to continue the therapy. He would halfheartedly answer wrongly and occasionally repeat tie, knowing that it was the only thing that made sense to anyone else.  
  
“Alright, good session Blaine!” Amanda gave him a thumbs up and packed up all of her supplies. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
  
“Outside there was the glame pillow,” Blaine said with a laugh as soon as the door shut behind her. He turned hopeful eyes to Kurt and tightened his grip on his boyfriend’s hand. “Paul went along illit.”  
  
“Blaine,” Kurt said sweetly, trying not to let his frustration show. “Babe, please show that you understand me. Please show that there is still something there that can understand.”  
  
Blaine just continued to stare at him.  
  
“I love you,” Kurt said, keeping the wide smile spread on his face. “I love you and I wish you could understand me.”  
  
“Jell costs us sall,” Blaine patted his hand, not showing any signs of realization.   
  
“No!” Kurt shook his head, frowning. He pointed at the heart on Blaine’s cast and his hand and then pointed at the two of them. When Blaine still looked confused he moved closer and placed his hand on Blaine’s cheek.  
  
The hazel eyes widened in understanding, covering Kurt’s hand with his own and leaning in. Blaine smiled sweetly and kissed Kurt’s palm, tracing the heart with his fingers.   
  
The next day Kurt parked into his parking spot at Dalton, smoothing down his blazer. The huge school seemed overwhelming without Blaine waiting by the doors with a coffee.  
  
He hurried inside, feeling awkward and out of place, and went to first period English.  
  
“Kurt!” Thad smiled at him, making Wes whip his head around so fast he could have gotten whiplash.   
  
“Hey Kurt,” He said slowly and gently like he was talking to a kicked puppy.  
  
“Hey guys,” Kurt pulled out his extra assignments he had done in the hospital.   
  
“How are you?” Wes asked again, fake smile plastered on his face.  
  
“I’m fine,” He replied, organizing the pile of essays on his desk.  
  
“Just fine?”  
  
“Oh my God Wes!” Thad blurted. “Kurt, Wes is too much of a wuss to ask about Blaine but I really need to know. How is Blaine? We heard he woke up but nothing else.”  
  
“Thad!” Wes glared. “Way to be subtle. But really, is he okay?”  
  
“It’s fine Wes,” Kurt smiled tiredly. “Yes, Blaine woke up. But…he has some brain damage, particularly in the language area. Everything he says is all jumbled and makes no sense and he can’t understand anything that is said to him.”  
  
Both boys stared at him, fake smiles completely gone now.  
  
“No…not Blaine,” Wes said softly, rubbing at his face. “Jesus. Is he going to get better?”  
  
“The doctors think he might be able to get back some kind of word recognition but so far not much has happened,” Kurt sighed.  
  
“Is he going to be able to sing?” Thad asked getting the most vicious glare from Wes.  
  
“Hey! Just because we’re on the Warbler council doesn’t mean that Blaine is only a soloist,” He snarled.  
  
“Hold up!” Thad threw up his hands. “That is totally not what I was going to say! Music is everything to Blaine, he’d be devastated without it.”  
  
“Right now he can’t even get the word for pen,” Kurt said, breaking into the argument. “We’re just going to have to wait.”  
  
“I’m glad you’re back,” Wes said after a long silence. “We really missed you.”  
  
“Yeah,” Thad patted him on the back. “Do you think we can visit him?”  
  
“He gets frustrated and upset when you try to talk to him because he can’t understand anything,” He replied sadly. “I think he’ll just get upset if a bunch of people go in.”  
  
“I understand,” Wes nodded, getting back into his desk when the teacher walked in.   
  
The rest of the day was spent getting the same questions and same sad smiles in every class. Kurt was emotionally exhausted and so worn out by last period that he would have skipped Warbler practice if he didn’t feel so guilty for missing over a week.   
  
He pushed open the heavy oak doors to see all of the Warblers crowded around a table, laughing and talking loudly.  
  
“Kurt’s here!” Jeff screamed out and every single Warbler jumped to look at him.  
  
“Kurt come see!” David waved him over. “We all know that Blaine can’t understand written words now but we really wanted to tell him how much we missed him.”  
  
Kurt walked over to see a long sheet of butcher paper stretched out on the table. Nick, the only decent artist in the group, was drawing with long sweeps of a colored pencil.  
  
The picture was of Blaine, clearly from the hair and eyebrows, dancing on a couch and singing. Wes was in the corner, dressed as a ninja wielding a gavel, and David was doing the robot. The Warblers were scattered around the paper, all doing something so uniquely them. At the very top, Kurt was riding on Pavarotti who was sporting a halo and throwing glittery hearts over everyone.  
  
“This is amazing,” Kurt said before bursting out into laughter.   
  
“We’re cancelling Warbler practice,” David announced before turning to Kurt. “Say hi to your boyfriend for us.”  
  
Kurt grinned, taking the rolled up mural, and waved his goodbyes to his friends. As soon as he slid into the drivers seat he sent a quick smiley face and a heart to Blaine via text.  
  
Blaine face lit up when he walked into the room and he waved happily. Kurt jogged over to the bed and kissed him making Blaine laugh at his excitement.   
  
When Kurt unrolled the mural Blaine couldn’t stop smiling. He traced over every single line in the picture, happy tears in his eyes.  
  
“A tie,” He whispered, grabbing the tie off of his bedside table and letting it rest on Kurt’s hand. “A tie.”  
  
Kurt smiled, knowing that was the only spoken words that translated between the two of them, and ran his fingers over the heart on Blaine’s cast.


	3. Chapter 3

Scott Anderson knew he and his son didn’t always see eye to eye.  
  
When Blaine had told him that he was gay Scott refused to believe it. This was his son who, while a little small, liked football and playing outside. He had to watch him come home covered in bruises and cuts after school every day and finally had to transfer him.   
  
Scott didn’t have anything against homosexuality. He knew his son was who he was but sometimes he wished that Blaine wouldn’t be so obvious about it. He would fuss about his clothes, beg to go to musicals, and became incredibly involved in his school choir. Scott knew that one day it would get him in trouble.   
  
Standing outside of his son’s hospital room, he knew he was right.   
  
He stepped into the room, closing the sliding glass door quietly and took in his son completely. Blaine always looked small but surrounded by blankets and machines he looked so much younger than seventeen.   
  
Never a touchy feely person, Scott stood off to the side and stared at his sleeping son. He shifted uncomfortably in the corner and smoothed down his suit.  
  
“Blaine?” He called out softly. “Buddy? It’s dad.”  
  
Hazel eyes blinked open slowly and after a few moments, Blaine locked eyes with his father.   
  
“Loten?” He whispered, looking surprised. “Feren today to the January.”  
  
Scott felt like he had been punched in the stomach. His wife had explained what had happened but really seeing his son was actually painful.  
  
“Shh,” He hurried over to Blaine and after a brief hesitation, ran a hand through his curls. “I’m here. Sorry I took so long.”  
  
The confusion in Blaine’s eyes stung.   
  
“I’m so sorry that I didn’t get here right away. I just…just couldn’t see you like this. My baby boy…my little Blaine,” Scott felt his breath hitch and pressed a kiss to his forehead, below the bandage.   
  
“Prent,” Blaine began but quieted when his father hushed him.  
  
“I had no right to try to make you someone you weren’t. I love you no matter what, you are my whole life. I’m just so sorry…but I will always be here for you,” Scott said intensely, trying to find any sign that Blaine understood him.  
  
Blaine stared blankly back at him.   
  
“I love you,” Scott gave him an slight hug, not wanting to hurt him further. Blaine let out a small sob and threw his arms around his father, soaking his shoulder in tears.   
  
“Just fallen quir today with young harden,” Blaine sobbed, tightening his arms.   
  
“It’s okay,” Scott whispered into his son’s hair.   
  
He pulled back and wiped at the tears on Blaine’s cheeks before giving him a smile. Scott swallowed heavily when he saw the slight understanding in Blaine’s eyes.  
  
“Wall,” Blaine mumbled, twisting his body around to grab a striped Dalton tie on his bedpost. “A tie. Lar, a tie.”  
  
“I don’t understand,” Scott whispered, rubbing at his son’s arm.   
  
“A tie,” Blaine waved the strip of fabric.   
  
“It’s the only thing he can say that makes sense,” A soft voice startled him and he spun around to see a slight boy in a Dalton uniform. “Mr. Anderson I presume?”  
  
“Yes,” Scott nodded, noticing how Blaine’s face lit up. “And you are?”  
  
“Kurt Hummel. I’m Blaine’s boyfriend,” The boy’s blue eyes were hard as he took in Blaine’s tearstained cheeks. “Tie is the only word that translates.”  
  
“Tie,” Blaine piped up, smiling up at Kurt.  
  
“Oh,” Scott felt uncomfortable under Kurt’s gaze. “It’s really nice to meet you. Blaine has said so much about you.”  
  
“I’m sure,” Kurt said coldly, dropping his messenger bag into a chair. “Did you just get in? I heard you were away on business.”   
  
“I flew in from Japan this morning. I came straight here from the airport,” He explained but Kurt’s dark look never disappeared.   
  
“Good. Blaine really needed you here but I guess better late than never,” The teenager took a seat next to his boyfriend, smiling at Blaine.  
  
“Excuse me?” Scott had enough. “I am here now, don’t speak to me like a child.”  
  
“Blaine was injured and sent into a coma over a week ago and woke up with brain damage. You’re only arriving now?” Kurt’s eyes flashed. “He’s scared and confused. Please don’t stay here to only confuse him more, he needs full support acceptance right now.”  
  
“You’re right,” Scott ran a hand through his cropped hair. “I haven’t been the most supportive father but I want to change. I was scared and stupid. Since Blaine came out to me I’ve been constantly terrified that this will happen. I guess I thought that as soon as I saw him it would be real and someone would have really tried to kill my son.”  
  
He took in a deep, trembling breath and blinked back tears. Blaine stared up at him, looking upset at the tears flashing in his father’s eyes.  
  
“I’m not leaving now,” Scott shook his head. “I’m not leaving ever.”  
  
Kurt’s expression softened and he glanced down at his and Blaine’s intertwined fingers.   
  
“Sorry,” He whispered.  
  
“Don’t be. I should be thanking you for being with him this whole time,” Scott gave him a small smile.   
  
“I love him,” Kurt’s entire face lit up and he beamed at Blaine. “I love him completely and would stay with him no matter what.”  
  
“I can tell,” Scott pulled up a chair and smiled at his son who was staring adoringly at Kurt. “I can tell he feels the same.”  
  
Kurt bit his lip to hide a smile and blushed.  
  
“So Kurt, tell me more about yourself. I want to know about my son’s boyfriend,” Scott smiled warmly.


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt hated Pictionary with a passion.  
  
Over the next few days, he and Blaine had passed a notebook back and forth drawing out what they wanted to say. Unfortunately they were both terrible artists.   
  
When Kurt had finished drawing a picture of the two of them drinking coffee (really a stick figure with a bow tie and a stick figure with triangular eyebrows with squares in their hands), he handed it to a frustrated Blaine.  
  
Blaine stared intently at the notebook and then at Kurt, crinkling the papers in his hands.  
  
“Blaine,” Kurt covered his hands with his own, trying to calm him down. “There’s no need to be upset, you’ll be okay.”  
  
That was apparently the last straw for Blaine who let out a wordless cry and threw all the papers up in the air, quickly covering his face with his hands. Kurt sighed as paper rained down on him, trying to think of something to make Blaine feel better.  
  
“Oh yeah!” He sung out softly. “Oh yeah! So scared of breaking it that you won’t let it bend!”   
  
He looked back at Blaine, smiling softly to see him looking completely stunned.  
  
“And I wrote two hundred letters I would never send,” Blaine sang back, voice cracking and weak.   
  
Both boys stared at each other before Kurt let out a soft sob, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend and burying his face into his neck.   
  
“Oh God Blaine,” Kurt whispered into his ear. “I can’t believe it.”  
  
The wide smile that he felt by the side of his neck vanished and Blaine pulled back, smile gone.  
  
“Of course up to the stoff,” Blaine said, eyes sad and desperate.   
  
“Wait! Wait!” Kurt held up his hands, reaching for the room phone and dialed Amanda’s extension.  
  
“Amanda Watson,” He heard her bright voice.  
  
“Amanda! It’s Kurt!” He gave a happy smile to his boyfriend. “Blaine spoke and he understood me and then he didn’t.”  
  
“I’m on my way up. What did he say”  
  
“Well, I was singing and he continued the song,” Kurt’s eyes moved quickly to the sliding glass door where Amanda was coming in.  
  
“So, you both were singing?” Amanda picked up Blaine’s chart and smiled when Kurt nodded. “Well, the area of the brain that recognizes music is separate from the one that identifies language and if it is memorized then it is even easier for him to understand.”  
  
“So…he can understand singing?” Kurt said slowly.   
  
“Yes. There is something called melodic intonation therapy where we can possibly get him speaking again,” Amanda was grinning. “This is really good, a very small percent of people with aphasia can understand music.”  
  
“And we speak through singing to each other?” He asked, clearly confused. “Like a musical? Any song?”  
  
“Give it a shot,” Amanda shrugged.  
  
“Blow the candles out, looks like a solo tonight,” Kurt sang softly, smiling at the grin that spread across Blaine’s face. “I’m beginning to see the light.”  
  
“But I think I’ll be alright,” Blaine sung out the last line of the chorus, eyes flashing with tears.  
  
“You two have lovely voices,” Amanda said, breaking the small spell. Blaine reached up to brush away tears, overwhelmed at finally being able to communicate.   
  
“He’s the main soloist at Dalton,” Kurt said proudly. “We sang that as a duet at Regionals.”  
  
“This is a huge step. I can get in contact with a music therapist and see if she can see Blaine,” Amanda smiled warmly at the two. “He’s doing much better.”  
  
A quick thumbs up earned one in return from Blaine.  
  
“I’ll go give her a call,” Amanda patted him on the back, gave Kurt a small wave, and left them alone.  
  
“Blackbird fly,” Blaine sung softly, staring up at Kurt.   
  
“Blackbird fly,” Kurt echoed, leaning forward and kissing him soundly on the lips.   
  
Kurt blinked back tears, brushing back Blaine’s hair. The bruises on his face had lightened enough to only be faint green and yellow. He still had to move stiffly because of the fractured hip and ribs but kept a smile on his face.  
  
“You’re amazing, just the way you are,” Kurt sang into Blaine’s ear. The dark haired boy let out a hum in response, grabbed the sharpie and retraced the heart on Kurt’s hand.   
  
Blaine spent the next several hours, flipping through Kurt’s iPod. He couldn’t read the song titles so he just played everything, thrilled at understanding something after days of being so lost.  
  
Kurt had been working on his homework, occasionally singing along with Blaine. He glanced up when he realized that the song hadn’t changed in a while and saw Blaine was fast asleep, smiling slightly.  
  
When visiting hours were over, Kurt placed a gentle kiss to his forehead and smiled down at Blaine. Hazel eyes opened slowly and he smiled sleepily back, squeezing Kurt’s hand.  
  
He left the hospital and drove home, completely exhausted. Kurt pulled into the driveway, stumbling into the house.  
  
“Kurt!” Carole smiled at him brightly. “Come into the kitchen, we have a plate for you in here!”  
  
“No thanks I’m not hungry,” Kurt gave her a tired smile. “I think I’m just going to go to my room and finish up some homework.”  
  
He hurried up the stairs and shut himself in his room, instantly collapsing down on his blankets. Sniffling, Kurt brushed at the tears streaming down his face.  
  
“Kurt?” He jumped and spun around to see Finn standing at his door holding a plate and a glass of milk. “Are you okay?”  
  
“Finn! Ever hear of knocking?” Kurt snapped, wiping furiously at the tears.   
  
“Sorry,” Finn shrugged, looking concerned. “I brought you some lasagna and cookies.”  
  
“Thanks,” Kurt whispered, taking the plate from his stepbrother who sat on the bed next to him.   
  
“Why were you crying?” Finn asked softly and Kurt felt his face crumple.  
  
“It’s just…just everything,” And suddenly he was sobbing into Finn’s shoulder who was awkwardly patting his shoulder. “I’m just so tired.”  
  
“Then why don’t you go to sleep?” He asked.  
  
“I can’t,” Kurt felt himself shaking but a smile spread across his face. “Blaine and I were able to speak to each other today.”  
  
“No way!” Finn blurted out around a mouthful of cookie. “That’s awesome dude!”  
  
“Well, I don’t mean actual talking. He can understand singing since that part of the brain wasn’t injured,” Kurt sighed. “So, it’s not perfect yet.”  
  
“But he’s getting better,” Finn said gently and stiffened when he saw his stepbrother’s shoulders shake with sobs. “That’s good right? Why are you crying?”  
  
“It’s just…just that my boyfriend is brain damaged. It’s something that you never think about. Imagine if Quinn was beaten so badly that she couldn’t talk. Imagine if someone tried to kill her because you loved each other,” Kurt choked out. “He’s most likely not ever going to be the same and we’re only seventeen. It’s just not fair. It’s not fair to us that this happens right after we finally get together.”  
  
“Are you two…going to break up,” Finn asked softly.  
  
“What?” Kurt blinked up at him.  
  
“I mean, you’re right that it’s not fair. You’ve only been dating for a little while and it’s not fair that you need to stay with him just because he’s your boyfriend.” Finn took another bite of a cookie. “It’s not fair for you to feel like you have to stay and it’s not fair to him if you stay there and not feel the same.”  
  
“You’re right,” Kurt whispered. “It’s not fair.”  
  
“I’m not telling you to break up. Just think about it. It’ll suck at first but it might be better in the long run,” Finn gave him a pat on the back. “Feel better bro.”  
  
Kurt couldn’t sleep that night. Finn was right, it wasn’t fair. Blaine and him had only been dating for a few months and they were so young. Was he really going to stay with Blaine forever? Was he going to go to his bedside every day, drive him to therapy, and deal with the condition forever? He would have to stay here with Blaine and not go to college. Every day would be the same.  
  
Maybe he needed a small break.   
  
For two days Kurt refused to go to the hospital. His chest ached as finally was able to sing all the way through Yester-You Yester-Me Yesterday without crying.   
  
His hands trembled violently when he stepped into Blaine’s hospital room. Blaine was curled up, cheeks stained with tears, and looked completely miserable.  
  
“Blaine?” He startled at the sounds and spun around to see him. Kurt took a deep breath and began to sing. “What happened to the world we knew?”  
  
“Hello!” Blaine sung out clearly, face brightening instantly. “Is it you I’ve been looking for?”  
  
 _Oh! There you are! I’ve been looking for you forever!_  
  
Kurt’s voice died in his throat. Suddenly, those looming challenges didn’t seem so scary. Suddenly, all he wanted was to sit by Blaine side and be with him forever.   
  
Blaine had been right that day when he said forever. Kurt loved him and in that moment he couldn’t imagine a day without him.   
  
“I can see it in your eyes,” Kurt sang softly and took Blaine’s hands.  
  
Blaine looked apologetic for interrupting Kurt and motioned with his hands for him to go back. Kurt shrugged it off and placed a kiss to Blaine’s palm.  
  
With a smile, Blaine grabbed the sharpie and retraced it on Kurt’s hand.   
  
“I’m sorry,” He whispered. “I’m sorry I doubted this for even a moment. I’m sorry I doubted us. I was weak and stupid and wanted to run away but I’m here. I’m not leaving.”  
  
Blaine looked concerned that he sounded so sad and traced over the heart with his finger tips.   
  
“I love you,” Kurt sang the chorus to Silly Love Songs and stared intently in Blaine’s eyes, hoping that he understood.   
  
“I can’t explain the feeling’s plain to me, say can’t you see? Ah she gave me more, she gave it all to me,” Blaine sang out happily, clearly not hearing what Kurt was trying to say.  
  
“Now can’t you see,” Kurt finished with a sad smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Scott Anderson knew he and his son didn’t always see eye to eye.  
  
When Blaine had told him that he was gay Scott refused to believe it. This was his son who, while a little small, liked football and playing outside. He had to watch him come home covered in bruises and cuts after school every day and finally had to transfer him.   
  
Scott didn’t have anything against homosexuality. He knew his son was who he was but sometimes he wished that Blaine wouldn’t be so obvious about it. He would fuss about his clothes, beg to go to musicals, and became incredibly involved in his school choir. Scott knew that one day it would get him in trouble.   
  
Standing outside of his son’s hospital room, he knew he was right.   
  
He stepped into the room, closing the sliding glass door quietly and took in his son completely. Blaine always looked small but surrounded by blankets and machines he looked so much younger than seventeen.   
  
Never a touchy feely person, Scott stood off to the side and stared at his sleeping son. He shifted uncomfortably in the corner and smoothed down his suit.  
  
“Blaine?” He called out softly. “Buddy? It’s dad.”  
  
Hazel eyes blinked open slowly and after a few moments, Blaine locked eyes with his father.   
  
“Loten?” He whispered, looking surprised. “Feren today to the January.”  
  
Scott felt like he had been punched in the stomach. His wife had explained what had happened but really seeing his son was actually painful.  
  
“Shh,” He hurried over to Blaine and after a brief hesitation, ran a hand through his curls. “I’m here. Sorry I took so long.”  
  
The confusion in Blaine’s eyes stung.   
  
“I’m so sorry that I didn’t get here right away. I just…just couldn’t see you like this. My baby boy…my little Blaine,” Scott felt his breath hitch and pressed a kiss to his forehead, below the bandage.   
  
“Prent,” Blaine began but quieted when his father hushed him.  
  
“I had no right to try to make you someone you weren’t. I love you no matter what, you are my whole life. I’m just so sorry…but I will always be here for you,” Scott said intensely, trying to find any sign that Blaine understood him.  
  
Blaine stared blankly back at him.   
  
“I love you,” Scott gave him an slight hug, not wanting to hurt him further. Blaine let out a small sob and threw his arms around his father, soaking his shoulder in tears.   
  
“Just fallen quir today with young harden,” Blaine sobbed, tightening his arms.   
  
“It’s okay,” Scott whispered into his son’s hair.   
  
He pulled back and wiped at the tears on Blaine’s cheeks before giving him a smile. Scott swallowed heavily when he saw the slight understanding in Blaine’s eyes.  
  
“Wall,” Blaine mumbled, twisting his body around to grab a striped Dalton tie on his bedpost. “A tie. Lar, a tie.”  
  
“I don’t understand,” Scott whispered, rubbing at his son’s arm.   
  
“A tie,” Blaine waved the strip of fabric.   
  
“It’s the only thing he can say that makes sense,” A soft voice startled him and he spun around to see a slight boy in a Dalton uniform. “Mr. Anderson I presume?”  
  
“Yes,” Scott nodded, noticing how Blaine’s face lit up. “And you are?”  
  
“Kurt Hummel. I’m Blaine’s boyfriend,” The boy’s blue eyes were hard as he took in Blaine’s tearstained cheeks. “Tie is the only word that translates.”  
  
“Tie,” Blaine piped up, smiling up at Kurt.  
  
“Oh,” Scott felt uncomfortable under Kurt’s gaze. “It’s really nice to meet you. Blaine has said so much about you.”  
  
“I’m sure,” Kurt said coldly, dropping his messenger bag into a chair. “Did you just get in? I heard you were away on business.”   
  
“I flew in from Japan this morning. I came straight here from the airport,” He explained but Kurt’s dark look never disappeared.   
  
“Good. Blaine really needed you here but I guess better late than never,” The teenager took a seat next to his boyfriend, smiling at Blaine.  
  
“Excuse me?” Scott had enough. “I am here now, don’t speak to me like a child.”  
  
“Blaine was injured and sent into a coma over a week ago and woke up with brain damage. You’re only arriving now?” Kurt’s eyes flashed. “He’s scared and confused. Please don’t stay here to only confuse him more, he needs full support acceptance right now.”  
  
“You’re right,” Scott ran a hand through his cropped hair. “I haven’t been the most supportive father but I want to change. I was scared and stupid. Since Blaine came out to me I’ve been constantly terrified that this will happen. I guess I thought that as soon as I saw him it would be real and someone would have really tried to kill my son.”  
  
He took in a deep, trembling breath and blinked back tears. Blaine stared up at him, looking upset at the tears flashing in his father’s eyes.  
  
“I’m not leaving now,” Scott shook his head. “I’m not leaving ever.”  
  
Kurt’s expression softened and he glanced down at his and Blaine’s intertwined fingers.   
  
“Sorry,” He whispered.  
  
“Don’t be. I should be thanking you for being with him this whole time,” Scott gave him a small smile.   
  
“I love him,” Kurt’s entire face lit up and he beamed at Blaine. “I love him completely and would stay with him no matter what.”  
  
“I can tell,” Scott pulled up a chair and smiled at his son who was staring adoringly at Kurt. “I can tell he feels the same.”  
  
Kurt bit his lip to hide a smile and blushed.  
  
“So Kurt, tell me more about yourself. I want to know about my son’s boyfriend,” Scott smiled warmly.


	6. Chapter 6

Around week three in the hospital Blaine was going a little bit stir crazy.  
  
The Warblers had been down a few times but were eventually kicked out when they were caught wheelchair racing. Since then he had been left on his own with his parents and was already bored of watching TV he couldn’t understand and suffering through his therapy sessions.  
  
The sudden squeak of the sliding door got his attention and he looked up to see Kurt, Finn and Rachel walk through the door.   
  
Kurt smiled apologetically at him when Rachel ran to his bedside and grabbed his hand and fixed huge eyes on him.  
  
“Oh god Kurt he just looks awful,” She said dramatically.   
  
“Actually, all of the bruises have faded so he looks much better,” Kurt dropped his bag and smiled at Finn who was pressed into the corner, looking as awkward as always. “But thanks.”  
  
“It’s just something in his eyes,” Rachel sighed and Finn rolled his eyes getting a smile from Blaine.   
  
“Maybe it’s better that he can’t understand her,” Finn muttered.   
  
“I’m going to sing to him! I can finally use my extended musical repertoire,” She cleared her throat. “Come with me, where chains will never bind you, all your grief at last, at last behind you. Lord in heaven, look down on his in mercy.”  
  
Blaine slowly turned to lock his eyes with Kurt’s looking freaked out. He jumped when Rachel pulled his hand to her cheek.  
  
“Rachel,” Kurt said gently, interrupting her. “He’s not dying.”  
  
“Oh,” Rachel stood up straighter and frowned. “Maybe that wasn’t the best song choice. Oh wait!”  
  
“Nothin’s gonna harm you, not while I’m around,” She grabbed at his hand again and ran the back of her other hand along his cheek. “Nothin’s gonna harm you, no sir, not while I’m around. Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays, I’ll send them howling , I don’t care I’ve got ways.”  
  
Blaine was shaking his head slightly and fixing his now desperate eyes on Kurt.  
  
“Sweetie,” Kurt said as Rachel’s voice swelled loudly. “I think Blaine needs to rest.”  
  
“I’ll wait outside,” Finn gave Blaine a quick wave and jumped out of the door.  
  
“I just think that maybe I am the best at communicating with him,” Rachel turned to him with bright eyes. “I just want to help.”  
  
“I know,” Kurt rubbed at her arm gently. “Listen, I’m sure that you have waited your entire life for someone who can communicate only through song but I’m asking you to take it down a level. He was badly beaten and he is confused and scared.”  
  
“Oh…” Rachel blushed and looked down at her clasped hands. “I just wanted to help.”  
  
“I know Rachel and the gesture is really sweet,” Kurt patted her hands.  
  
“He’s lucky to have you here,” She beamed up at him and smiled at Blaine. “I’ll head home. Let me know if there is anything else you guys need.”  
  
“Thanks Rachel,” Kurt gave her a small hug and waved as she left.  
  
The next morning Kurt helped the Andersons pack up his hospital room and got Blaine situated in a wheelchair to go home. Although he was still covered in bandages and plaster he was thrilled to get out of the hospital.  
  
Kurt placed a stack of old Vogue issues in a duffle bag and zipped it up. He glanced up at Blaine who was beaming at him from his wheelchair. With a grin Kurt rubbed at his boyfriend’s shoulder.   
  
“Alright! All packed!” Amy smiled broadly and a nurse came in to push Blaine out. He reached over and grabbed Kurt’s hand who was walking next to him.  
  
“I need to go home tonight but is it okay if I come by tomorrow to see him?” Kurt asked, glancing back at the Andersons.  
  
“Of course. You’re welcome any time,” Scott hefted the duffle bag on his shoulder up higher.   
  
With a quick peck on the lips, Kurt helped Blaine into the rented van and waved as the Andersons drove off. He let out a small smile and walked to his car, already thinking of songs to sing to Blaine the next day.  
  
~*~  
  
 _Blaine stepped out of his car, smiling and humming. The date had been amazing and the butterflies had not stopped fluttering in his stomach after the goodnight kiss._  
  
Teenage Dream blasted from his pocket and his smiled widened.   
  
“Hey Kurt I was just thinking of you,” He slid his credit card into the card receiver and chose his gas.   
  
“I haven’t stopped thinking of you since you left,” Blaine could almost hear the blush.   
  
“Good,” Blaine said with a laugh. “So, how about we go out to dinner tomorrow? I’ll pick you up around six and then we can go get some of that cheesecake you say is so bad for you but secretly love.”  
  
“It’s a plan,” Kurt replied happily.   
  
“I love you Kurt,” Blaine couldn’t help the silly smile that spread across his face. “Now, young man, go off to bed and get your beauty sleep. Of course, I don’t think you need it.”  
  
“You’re such a dork,” Kurt laughed. “I love you too.”  
  
“See you tomorrow,” He put the pump into his tank and pulled the handle to get the gas running. “Already counting down the minutes.”  
  
“Love you!” Kurt said brightly before hanging up.  
  
Blaine smiled down at the phone before the sound of someone clearing their throat startled him.   
  
The man at the pump next to him was glaring at him darkly. Blaine quickly glanced down at the screen on his pump.   
  
“Fucking faggot,” The man snarled and Blaine hunched his shoulders.  
  
“Are you just going to ignore me fairy?” He took a threatening step towards the teenager. The man was at least a foot taller than him and had a good fifty pounds on him. “Ignoring me because I don’t want to fuck you?”  
  
Blaine bit his lip and inched towards his door.   
  
“Listen I don’t want any trouble,” He muttered, willing the gas to pump faster.  
  
“If you didn’t want trouble why were you having phone sex with your faggy boyfriend where everyone could hear you,” The man stood up straighter, looming over Blaine threateningly.   
  
Blaine glanced over his shoulder noticing that the convenience store worker was gone from the counter and there wasn’t another soul near him.   
  
“I’m almost done and then I’ll leave,” Blaine replied, stiffening when the man moved to his pickup truck. The pump beeped and Blaine quickly pulled the nozzle out of his car.  
  
Excruciating pain blossomed across his back as the man swung something long and metal across the back of his shoulders. Blaine let out a cry and stumbled, reaching out and grabbing onto the pump.  
  
He saw the flash of metal as the tire iron crashed into his arm with a sickening crack. Blaine hit the concrete and spun around to see the fuming man above him with a tire iron raised over his head.  
  
He let out a scream of pain when the tire iron slammed into his ribs, followed by a booted foot. The tire iron repeatedly hit him, shattering his leg and pelvis.  
  
Blaine was curled up nearly underneath his car, trembling and choking on his blood. He gasped as he saw the tire iron swing down towards his head and then everything went black.   
  
Blaine shot up in bed with a gasp, shaking violently from the memory of his nightmare and the pain of his broken bones. He sobbed brokenly and curled up the best he could, feeling his head swim.  
  
Grabbing his phone, Blaine stabbed his finger into the number one. Tears streamed down his face and he tried to stifle his sobs with his hand.  
  
“Polling?” Kurt’s sleepy voice asked.   
  
“Kurt! Oh God, I dreamed the attack again and everything hurts,” Heavy sobs pulled at his broken ribs and collarbone, nearly making him sick from the pain. “I can’t….I can’t…God.”  
  
“Quell the guitar around hedge,” Kurt said worriedly, sounding far less tired.   
  
“Please understand me,” Blaine whimpered. “Please please, just this once. I can’t do this. Just talk to me.”  
  
Kurt gently shushed him.  
  
“I miss you,” He sobbed out, feeling himself hyperventilate. “I miss you so much and I hate this. I hate feeling like this. I don’t want to live like this.”  
  
“Tie,” Kurt soothed. “Tie, tie, tie.”  
  
Blaine hiccupped and reached to where the tie was laying on the back of the couch where he had been sleeping since he couldn’t get up the stairs. He curled his fingers around it and tied it clumsily around his wrist.   
  
“Tie,” Blaine whispered, staring at the fabric that rested above the sharpie heart.   
  
“I am hanging on to every word you say and even if you don’t want to speak tonight that’s alright, alright with me. Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven’s door and listen to you breathing, is where I want to be,” Kurt sang gently and Blaine smiled tearfully.   
  
He took some deep breaths and leaned heavily on the back of the couch. With trembling fingers, Blaine grabbed his bottle of pain killers and downed two.  
  
“I’m okay,” Blaine muttered. “Thank you Kurt.”  
  
“Pillow the youth reddit,” Kurt said and Blaine buried himself further in the blankets.  
  
“I have to go,” Blaine breathed and hung up, sniffing. He wiped at his eyes and stared down at the heart Kurt had just texted him. Scrolling up, Blaine stared at the past text messages he could no longer understand.


	7. Chapter 7

Blaine tapped his fingers on the arm rest and stared at the stupid abstract painting on the wall. The waiting room was mostly empty besides a young mother and her small child.  
  
He glanced to his right to see his father flipping through an old issue of Time and sighed loudly. Scott looked up and smiled reassuringly.   
  
“Blaine?” He started, recognizing his own name and saw Lillian standing in the doorway. “Poe yin.”  
  
He gave her a small wave and leaned back into the padded chair as his father pushed him back into the main therapy room.   
  
Blaine looked around distastefully at the pediatric speech therapy room that was decorated in bright primary colors. A pile of stuffed animals towered in one corner and giant foam letters were stacked neatly on a table.  
  
He sighed and picked at the cast on his arm. Lillian and Scott were chatting behind him and all he could make out was his name. Blaine bit the inside of his cheek and tried to ignore the strange words behind him.  
  
It was like everyone else in the world was speaking a different language than him and he had never felt so isolated before.  
  
“Blaine,” Lillian stretched out his name and smiled widely. Blaine gave her a tired smile and tried to straighten himself in his chair.   
  
They sat for almost forty minutes with Lillian tapping her finger on his wrist and humming. Blaine was beginning to get frustrated when he still wasn’t able to properly hit the notes since he had always prided himself on his perfect pitch.   
  
Then Lillian hummed a middle C and he matched it perfectly.  
  
A huge grin spread across his face and he held his hand up to his mouth in shock.   
  
Blaine only got more excited when he kept hitting the notes. Letting out a wordless cry of excitement, he grabbed Scott’s sleeve and mimed for his cell phone and called Kurt.  
  
“Blaine,” He let out a happy laugh when he recognized his name. “Upon quert holiday.”  
  
“Kurt! Kurt! I did it! I matched the therapist with humming,” Blaine could feel tears gather in his eyes. “This means that I’m getting better.”  
  
Scott gently pulled the phone out of his grip and explained it to Kurt. Blaine could hear the happy voice from the other end of the phone and felt a rush of pride.  
  
Blaine finally felt like there was some hope.  
  
~*~  
  
That night Kurt had come over with pizza and musicals to celebrate Blaine’s improvement. They had settled themselves in the nest of blankets on the couch and sang along to Moulin Rouge and several Disney movies.  
  
In the middle of The Little Mermaid Kurt felt Blaine’s head drop onto his shoulder. He glanced down to see his boyfriend fast asleep, bottle of water held precariously in his hand.  
  
Carefully, Kurt took the bottle, put it on the table, and pulled a blanket over Blaine’s shoulders. With a soft sigh, Blaine burrowed himself farther into the blanket and Kurt’s side.  
  
Kurt gently placed a hand on the top of his head, glad that the bandages were now gone. He ran his fingers through the curls and smiled, feeling just like he had before the attack.  
  
About twenty minutes before the movie was over Blaine shifted in his sleep. His eyebrows knitted together and he let out a soft moan. Kurt frowned down at him as he whimpered and twisted.  
  
“Pero,” Blaine groaned. “Kith around halp.”  
  
Then he let out a piercing scream and flung his arm out, cast crashing into the coffee table. Kurt jumped and tried to calm his flailing boyfriend. Blaine kept jerking his broken bones and ripped a stitch in his forehead.  
  
“BLAINE!” Kurt shouted, grabbing his arms. Panicked and pained hazel eyes snapped open and his fingers twisted into Kurt’s cardigan.  
  
“Blaine?” Amy and Scott hurried into the room, dressed in the pajamas. “Is he okay?”  
  
“He had a nightmare,” Kurt was gently stroking Blaine’s face which was pinched in pain. “He started jerking around and hurt himself.”  
  
Blaine let out a choked off whimper and tears began to stream down his face, mixing with the thin line of blood from his forehead. He pressed his body firmly into Kurt’s side, shaking slightly.  
  
“He has them almost every night,” Amy knelt down with a warm washcloth and wiped off the blood. “They can get pretty violent.”  
  
Kurt held Blaine tightly to him as Scott placed two pain pills into his son’s mouth. Blaine swallowed and let his entire weight lean against the other boy.   
  
“You’re okay,” Kurt whispered softly, rubbing his arm. “I’m here.”  
  
Blaine sagged even further back and closed his eyes, still trembling. Amy soothed her son, pulling the blanket up.  
  
“He’s getting better physically,” Scott whispered as Blaine opened his eyes to stare up at the ceiling. “The doctors say that his bones are healing and that in three weeks he can get his arm and leg casts off. They also tell us that his brain scans look better and that he is showing huge improvement in speech therapy. I don’t know if he’ll ever be…okay though.”  
  
“He has constant nightmares and gets scared whenever we leave for therapy sessions,” Amy was rubbing reassuring circles on her son’s arm. “That attack hurt him more than physically.”  
  
“Oh Blaine,” Kurt pressed a kiss to his boyfriend’s temple and leaned in really close to his ear. “I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”  
  
Blaine’s hand tightened on his arm and for a moment Kurt could pretend that he understood.   
  
He ignored the sinking of his heart when he realized that Blaine had been hurt far more than he had thought.   
  
Kurt texted his father quickly and told him that he would spend the night at the Anderson’s. He helped Blaine rest on top of him and the shorter boy laid his head down on his chest.  
  
He gently stroked his fingers through Blaine’s hair but his eyes stayed stubbornly open.   
  
 _“Spend all your time waiting, for that second chance, for a break that, would make it okay, there’s always one reason, to feel not good enough, and it’s hard at the end of the day,”_ He sung softly, feeling Blaine relax slightly.  _“I need some distraction, oh beautiful release, memory seeps from my veins, let me be empty, and weightless and maybe I’ll find some peace tonight.”_  
  
A hand reached up to hold on to the arm wrapped around Blaine’s chest.  
  
 _“In the arms of an angel, fly away from here, from this dark cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear, you are pulled from the wreckage, of your silent reverie, you’re in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort there,”_ Kurt’s voice lowered to a whisper when he felt Blaine’s slow and steady breathing. He was fast asleep, hand still clutching Kurt’s arm.   
  
Blaine didn’t have another nightmare that night.


	8. Chapter 8

Blaine watched his friends with a smile. 

Wes and David were sitting on the floor around Blaine’s wheelchair. They were attaching streamers in Dalton colors to the handle bars and had already stuck Harry Potter and Batman stickers all over the back.

Every Tuesday and Thursday some of the Warblers would come over since they didn’t have practice and spend time with him. They would sing together or Blaine would watch them play video games. 

He felt a nudge on his thigh and David handed him a bite size Snickers bar with a grin. 

Blaine missed this.

He missed his friends. He missed school. He missed performing. He missed his life. 

But moments like this, moments where he was just hanging out with his friends and eating junk food made it a little easier to bear. 

He snorted in laughter when he saw that David had been putting stickers on Wes’s back whenever he turned away, trying to look innocent when Wes spun around and gave him a mock glare.

Then David asked Blaine something and the mood instantly changed. 

David instantly looked guilty when he realized that he asked him something that he couldn’t understand and Wes rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. They sat in silence for a few moments before Wes laid a hand on his leg and patted it.

Blaine smiled shakily at them but his chest felt tight with anxiety.

His best friends felt uncomfortable around him.

With a huge faked smile, Blaine pointed at the Xbox controllers and they put in Halo. He settled back in the blankets as Wes and David began to shoot each other on the screen. 

He laughed softly when Wes’s finger slipped on the controller and his character fell off a cliff. Wes turned to him, gave him a warm smile, and rubbed Blaine’s back.

Blaine felt himself stiffen a little at the contact and Wes dropped his controller and wrapped his arms around him. His breath hitched as David joined the hug and they just held him.

“I get by with a little help from my friends,” Wes sang, getting a tearful smile. 

“Thank you,” Blaine whispered, knowing that they couldn’t understand him. 

But they loved him and were there for him so maybe that was enough for now.

~*~

Kurt could have worn better shoes.

He was pushing Blaine’s wheelchair down the sidewalk to the park and thought he should have worn his sneakers. They had tried to go to the park several times before but Blaine would get really panicked and upset whenever they left the house.

Now, Blaine looked worried but was clearly enjoying the fresh air too much to care.

They had just turned onto a small path that led to a gazebo looking over a lake and Blaine perked up. His good arm moved over his shoulder and placed his hand over Kurt’s.

Kurt locked the wheels right next to a bench and sat down next to his boyfriend. They stared out at the water quietly and Kurt glanced over to see a small smile on Blaine’s face.

Every single day he talked to Mr. Anderson about Blaine’s recovery. Every day he researched the condition and treatments. Every day he had to see the sympathetic glances from his friends and answer awkwardly asked questions.

Seeing Blaine sitting outside and not locked up in his house made it seem almost normal. 

He heard a small chuckle and looked down to see Blaine tracing his fingers over the sharpie heart drawn on Kurt’s hand. With a smile, Kurt intertwined their fingers and squeezed. He kept redrawing the heart every morning since he couldn’t bear to see it fade away.

Blaine was getting better and better. He was able to repeat hummed phrases from the speech therapist and he was going to start physical therapy as soon as most of the casts came off. 

The next day he was going to the doctor to get another MRI which was perfect for Kurt since he desperately needed some catch up time with Mercedes. 

As usual, at least before the attack, Kurt arrived at Mercedes house at noon and they immediately went into their marathon of America’s Next Top Model.

“So,” Mercedes began awkwardly after they had chatted for a bit. “How is Blaine doing?”

“He’s getting better,” Kurt sighed, taking a sip from his water bottle. “Some days are better than others. Sometimes he just gets really upset that he can’t communicate and just shuts down. He misses everyone and when people do come over he still can’t talk to them.”

“How are you dealing with all of this?” She asked, concern written on her entire face. 

“It’s tough. Especially with how it happened,” The water bottle crinkled as his hand tightened. “The fact that someone wanted to kill my boyfriend haunts me every day. It hurts to know that he is still suffering but at least he’s still here. Even if he never gets better, he’s still here.”

“How do you guys talk to each other?” Mercedes asked, crossing her legs.

“Well, we sing or we draw but most times we just kind of know what the other is thinking. We don’t really need to talk. It’s just…I never really got to say I loved him,” Kurt felt the tears pricking at his eyes.

“What are you talking about? You guys would say ‘I Love You’ like multiple times whenever you saw each other,” Mercedes frowned slightly.

“True. But I honestly didn’t really mean it. It was kind of just something we said because we felt like we had to. I knew that I really liked him bit nothing really more than that. Now, I can’t imagine my life without him. I want him there with me every moment of every day and every time I look at him I just want to tell him, without singing, exactly how I feel but I can’t,” He wiped at his eyes and bowed his head.

“Kurt. Kurt, look at me,” Watery blue eyes met hers. “He knows. He knows how much you love him.”

Kurt finally broke down, crying for himself for the first time in months. 

~*~

The shrill whine of the saw made Kurt cringe but Blaine looked excited. They were removing the casts on his arm and leg but his pelvis remained casted since the break was so bad that it had caused some pretty severe muscle damage as well. 

His eyes list up when they finally removed the cast from his arm. Kurt noticed that his arm looked slightly smaller from the lack of use from the weeks that it was immobilized but Blaine looked thrilled. 

His fingers twitched as he pulled them into a loose fist, frowning when he wasn’t able to curl them any more. 

“There might have been some slight nerve damage from the break along with the muscle loss. He’ll have some trouble having the same control as before but should be just the same as soon as he gets some physical therapy,” The doctor smiled at him before he went down to remove the leg cast.

Blaine was smiling, looking just like he used to without all the plaster except for the stiffness from his broken ribs and pelvis that were still tender.

With his hand now free of the cast, he clumsily took hold of the Dalton tie that was tied to the arm of his chair. 

Kurt smiled and nodded through the doctor’s explanation of how to avoid reinjuring the bones but really wasn’t listening. He watched out of the corner of his eye as his boyfriend wiggled his toes and fingers, looking far happier than he had in a long time. 

“Any questions?” The doctor asked and he shook his head. 

“Great,” He patted Blaine on the back and smiled. “Glad to see you doing so much better kiddo.”

Blaine couldn’t understand the doctor but recognized the cheerful tone, prompting a smile in return. As Kurt pushed the wheelchair out of the examination room, Blaine hummed happily.

“You think I’m pretty without any leshta on,” Blaine sung out.

“I’m going to assume that you meant plaster,” Kurt laughed and brushed his thumb against the back of his neck before leaning in. “You are beautiful no matter what they say.”

For about a week now Blaine had started trying to put his own words into song lyrics. It never really worked but it showed that he was beginning to create his own phrases.

“Yes words can’t bring me down!” Blaine laughed at the irony of the lyric. “You are beautiful in every single way!” 

Suddenly Kurt stopped the chair and knelt down in front of a surprised Blaine.

“I love you,” He said, trying to put every ounce of feeling into the words. “I love you more than anything. I want to tell you that I’ll always be here and I will always adore every part of you.”

Blaine’s expression turned serious at Kurt’s tone of voice but the lingering confusion in his eyes tore him apart. 

“Just thought I’d let you know,” Kurt mumbled and stood quickly, moving to push the chair along the hallway again.

Blaine twisted his head to look at Kurt over his shoulder. Slowly he reached up his hand to brush his fingers across the back of Kurt’s knuckles, eyes sparkling.

When Kurt got Blaine back to his house and comfortably sitting on the couch he said his goodbyes to the Andersons and turned to leave.

“Kurt!” He jumped at the sound of Blaine’s voice and swore his heart stopped. “Kurt! Kurt!”

He spun around to see Blaine sitting up, staring at him with huge eyes. With a soft cry, Kurt rushed over to wrap his boyfriend in a hug. Blaine squeezed back tightly even though he trembled with the pain that stretching his ribs caused and buried his face into Kurt’s shoulder.

Finally they both pulled apart and smiled tearfully at each other. 

“I have to go,” Kurt mumbled and Blaine’s hand tightened on his. With a final kiss to his temple, Kurt left the house and drove back to his own home smiling brightly.

“I’m home!” He called out as he stepped into the house, removing his shoes immediately. 

“Hey Kurt?” Burt was sitting on the couch, pamphlets splayed out on the coffee table. “Can we talk for a bit?”

“Sure,” Kurt nodded and sat down on the loveseat. 

“You need to start applying for college,” His father had so obviously practiced the speech. “I know that you want to be there for Blaine but realistically, it’s going to take a few years for him to get better and I don’t want you to sabotage your future for some boy.”

“Blaine and I are going to go to New York for college,” Kurt explained. “I can wait for him. I’ll get a job or take some online classes and then when he’s better I’ll go to college with him.”

“What if he doesn’t get better Kurt,” Burt asked sadly. “You don’t want to be stuck here forever in a dead end job.”

“I’d rather be here with him than alone in New York,” Kurt argued, feeling the blood rush to his face.

“I understand that you really care about him. Maybe you even think that you love him but he’s your first boyfriend. You can’t throw your life away to stay with a guy you’ve been dating for just a few months,” Burt replied calmly.

“I love him,” Kurt whispered. 

“You are seventeen…” His father began slowly and that was the final straw.

“HE SAID MY NAME!” Kurt screamed, startling Burt into silence. “He’s been struggling for so long and he finally said my name. I don’t care if I have to work at Wal-Mart for the rest of my life, I need to stay with Blaine. We need each other.”

Burt sat in silence before standing up to pull his son into a hug.

“I’m proud of you. You shouldn’t have to go through this at your age and you are doing so well. If you are happy, then I’m happy. If staying here with Blaine makes you happy then I won’t force you away,” With one last squeeze he let go.

“Thanks dad,” Kurt smiled softly. 

“And hey! Let’s invite the Anderson’s over for dinner tomorrow!” Burt clapped his son on the back. “There’s a game on.”

Kurt felt himself pale and sighed as he handed his phone over to his father so he could call them.

Finn had been understandably nervous when Kurt told him that Blaine was coming over for dinner. 

“What do I say? Do I just smile and nod a lot or talk really slow?” Finn looked panicked. “Oh no! What if I do something and upset him?”

“He’s used to it by now,” Kurt reassured his step brother. “Just treat him like you would normally. He’s still the exact same person Finn. And if you have to say something you can do it in a song and he’ll probably understand you.”

No matter how much Kurt tried to tell Finn that he was most likely not going to mentally damage Blaine and set back his recovery if he said something that he didn’t understand, Finn stood next to the door and hopped from foot to foot nervously as he waited for the Andersons to arrive.

When the doorbell rang he jumped and spun around, making Carole roll her eyes as she opened the door.

“Hey! Welcome!” She stepped aside so Amy could push Blaine into the doorway. “I’m so glad that we were able to do this.”

“HEY MAN!” Finn shouted, grabbing Blaine’s hand in a rough handshake and slapping him on the back so hard that Blaine winced. “IT…IS…GOOD…TO…SEE…YOU!”

“Finn,” Kurt grabbed his elbow and yanked him back. “He’s not deaf.”

“He might be now,” Burt muttered, smiling at Blaine and holding out a hand to shake. 

The adults made their way into the kitchen to chat and left the boys out in the living room. Finn was sitting ramrod straight on one end of the couch and was staring at Kurt and Blaine who were smiling at each other.

“I like your Batman stickers,” Finn said suddenly, pointing to the stickers on his wheelchair. When Blaine just frowned in return he remembered what Kurt had told him. “Nananananananana Batman.”

There was a moment of silence before Blaine burst out laughing. He shook almost violently with his laughter and it got to the point when Kurt honestly thought he was going to hurt himself. 

Finn was grinning at the other end of the couch, extremely pleased with himself.

“Let’s watch the game.”

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

The last thing Kurt expected when he pulled up to the Anderson’s home was to see a police car. His heart leapt into his throat and his mind raced as he hurried to the front door.  
  
“Is everything okay?” He asked as he stepped in to see the Amy sitting on the couch and two police officers standing in front of her. “Where is Blaine?”  
  
“His father and him are at the hospital to get a test done,” Amy sounded hallow and wiped at her face. “Officers, this is Kurt Hummel my son’s boyfriend.”  
  
“Nice to meet you son,” An older officer with the name Harrison pinned to his chest.   
  
“They think that they might have a lead on the man who did this to Blaine,” Amy sniffed slightly and rubbed at her arms.   
  
“At the gas station, the gas was paid with cash so we had no leads involving a credit card check,” Harrison explained. “Last week a man called in and said that his neighbor broke into his apartment and tried to attack him. When we heard that the attack was started because the neighbor was upset that he had brought over his boyfriend we looked into other homophobic attacks.   
  
We were able to get a search warrant when it was also brought to our attention that he might also be a suspect in a robbery. When we looked into his truck we found a crowbar, bloodstains on the carpet, and that it matched the truck that was seen in the video surveillance.”  
  
“Scott is bringing Blaine back to try and identify his picture,” Amy whispered. “God, I feels crazy to say that my teenaged son is coming to identify the man who tried to beat him to death.”  
  
“I know that this overwhelming ma’am,” The other officer, Patterson according to his nametag, said soothingly. “We want to get this man behind bars and if Blaine is able to identify him then we can get one step further to get Blaine the justice he deserves.”  
  
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway made them go quiet.   
  
A few moments later Scott pushed Blaine into the house, looking grave. Blaine clearly had no idea what was going on and looked a little freaked out at seeing the police officers.   
  
“Remember that he can’t understand what you say or say anything to you,” Amy piped up.  
  
“We’ll just show him the picture and see if it gets a reaction,” Harrison pulled out a mug shot and held it out to Blaine.  
  
Blaine took the picture and looked at it blankly for a few moments. Then his breathing hitched and hands shook violently as the picture fluttered to the ground. With a keening cry, Blaine curled into himself and fisted his hands in his hair.   
  
“Oh Blaine,” Kurt quickly knelt down by him and wrapped his arms around his trembling boyfriend. Blaine let out high pitched whines and his breath came out as a whistle.   
  
“I’m taking that as a positive identification,” Harrison said gently, picking up the picture while Blaine sobbed.   
  
Kurt continued gently shushing his boyfriend, rubbing his back, while the officers and Blaine’s parents talked in hushed tones. Blaine was beginning to hyperventilate and it felt like he was going to shake apart.  
  
With a sniff, he turned a gaze over to where the officer was holding the picture and memorized it.  
  
The man in the picture was good looking. He clearly worked out often from the amount of muscle but didn’t seem like someone that would hurt anyone.   
  
But he had also been the one to attempt to mercilessly murder his boyfriend.  
  
Jeffery Lewis was written on the board he was holding up and Kurt had to hold back a scoff. Jeffery? Really? Jeffery was not a name that suggested the amount of hatred that the man possessed.   
  
The officers thanked him for his time but he didn’t respond. Blaine was now taking in wet, shaky breaths and had begun to jerk violently. Kurt only had a moment to move out of the way before Blaine spun to the side and threw up his lunch.   
  
Amy knelt down next to him, gently wiping his face with a washcloth while brushing tears off of his cheeks.   
  
“Kurt, can you move him into our room and get him on the bed. He can sleep there,” Scott said softly, looking exhausted.   
  
Kurt nodded and quickly pushed the trembling Blaine into his parents’ room. After several attempts, he was able to maneuver his boyfriend up onto the bed and got him under the covers.   
  
Coming back from the bathroom with a glass of water he was suddenly struck with how vulnerable his boyfriend looked. Blaine was curled in on himself and tears still streamed down his face.   
  
Kurt placed the glass of water on the side table and climbed up on the bed, pulling his boyfriend into his arms and holding him tightly as Blaine shook.  
  
He had always thought that he was overall a kind person. Sure, Kurt didn’t like the kids who bullied him but he didn’t hate them like he did the monster who did this to his boyfriend. Honestly, Kurt wished that he would die a very painful long death.  
  
Hearing his boyfriend’s sobs and feeling him tremble only intensified that feeling.  
  
~*~  
  
The moment Blaine had looked at the picture it was like he was back in that night.   
  
Those blue eyes had glared down at him as he beat him nearly to death. That mouth had spat out curses. Those hands had been covered in blood.  
  
Before, it didn’t seem real. He had no idea who the man was and he didn’t seem like he actually existed but now that there was a real person out there with a name and a life, he was terrified.   
  
The worst part was he couldn’t even hear the bastard’s name and he was still just a nameless cruel face that lingered in his nightmares.   
  
He honestly didn’t remember how he got to his parents room but it felt like his body was imploding.   
  
The only thing holding him together was Kurt whose arms were tightly wrapped around him.


	10. Chapter 10

Finn and Blaine had actually become pretty good friends since that evening they spent bonding over football and he often tagged along with Kurt when he went to visit.   
  
The spent most of a freezing Saturday afternoon on the Anderson couch watching TV.  
  
Well, Kurt was watching TV. Finn and Blaine were practicing throwing M&M’s into each other’s mouths.   
  
Blaine was doing better. It had been almost three months since his accident and while he still wasn’t able to repeat many words although he had progressed to repeating long tonal phrases. The best part was that all of his casts were now off and, thanks to a lot of physical therapy, he was able to move around on crutches.   
  
Startled out of his daze by a loud cheer, Kurt glanced over to see that Finn had caught a green M&M in between his teeth.  
  
Blaine was doubled over in laughter, shaking and clapping his hands. They high fived and Finn excitedly spun around to ask Kurt if he saw.   
  
“Yes Finn, that was amazing,” Kurt smiled as Blaine wiped away tears from his eyes.   
  
Soon the victory was forgotten when Blaine was able to catch three in a row.   
  
“Blaine,” Scott called out from the front door but it wasn’t his name that made him look over it was a soft mewing noise.   
  
Nestled in is father’s arms was a tiny orange and white kitten that stared up at him with wide grey eyes. Surprised, Blaine jumped when Scott placed the kitten in his lap.  
  
“His therapist recommended that he have something that didn’t need to understand to talk to,” He smiled down at his son who was gently scratching the kitten behind the ears.   
  
“She’s so cute,” Kurt smiled down at the sweetly purring kitten. Blaine had a huge grin on his face and scratched the kitten’s chin. He let out a small laugh when the kitten nipped at his finger.   
  
“Say my name, say my name,” Kurt sang with a laugh.   
  
“Tie,” Blaine said instantly, letting the kitten climb on him.   
  
~*~  
  
Later that night, Blaine slowly made his way up the stairs on his crutches with his mother behind him carrying Tie. He was sore and stiff when he got to the top of the stairs but still felt that sense of accomplishment at being able to make it up to the top.  
  
Amy placed Tie on the bed and when Blaine was safely sitting she gave him a kiss and left him alone.   
  
Tie mewed softly, instantly sinking her claws into Blaine’s shirt and climbing up his side.  
  
“Ow!” He winced and gently unattached the kitten from his shirt and smiled at her. “I am not a scratching post.”  
  
Tie squirmed in his grip and he dropped her on the blankets. She instantly pounced on a bump in his comforter and started biting it.  
  
“You are really cute though,” He poked at her side and jerked back when she jumped at him. “I guess my dad wants you to be my new fluffy diary huh? Do you want to hear about all my woes?”  
  
She nipped at his fingers.   
  
“I can’t handle the attention anymore,” He whispered, tickling her belly when she rolled over. “My parents are always there and Kurt is always checking in to make sure I’m okay. Sure I’m okay, I’m not allowed to do anything.”  
  
Tie batted at his hand and he jerked back to avoid her claws.   
  
“I just…can’t stand it. I can’t understand anyone so they just sit in awkward silence and make me watch hours of TV that I can’t understand,” He sighed, feeling the annoyance rise up in him. “I want everything to go back to normal. I want to go to school and I want to talk to my friends but no one seems to want me to forget it.”  
  
Tie meowed sweetly.   
  
“Yeah,” Blaine smiled. “I know, they just care about me but I just want them to treat me like I was. I have to deal with the nightmares and the memories and all I want is for people to stop reminding me that I’m broken and screwed up.”  
  
He stood and struggled into his pajamas before climbing into his bed. Tie instantly curled herself up next to Blaine’s side and purred softly.   
  
“It’s weird but I like being able to talk to someone,” He stroked her soft fur. “Even if that someone is just a little cat. I don’t have to worry about making you understand and it’s really nice just to vent.”  
  
He drifted off to sleep with the tiny body pressed up to his chest.  
  
When Blaine jerked awake from a nightmare with a choked off scream stuck in his throat, Tie was there to lick the tears from his cheeks. He sniffed and pressed his face into her soft fur, feeling the memory of the nightmare slowly fall away to be replaced by sleep.  
  
 _Blaine felt soft fingers intertwine with his and smiled at Kurt who was walking next to him. The taller boy gently bumped their shoulders and pulled at his hand, leading them deeper into the forest._  
  
“I thought you hated nature,” Blaine teased as they picked their way carefully through the underbrush.  
  
“I don’t hate nature,” Kurt rolled his eyes with a smile. “I just hate mud.”  
  
“And bugs, and sweat, and grass stains,” He laughed and Kurt suddenly pulled them into a run. Blaine sprinted next to him, feeling no stiffness or pain in his joints, and dodged trees.   
  
They fell into a breathless laughing heap when they broke through the line of trees into the clearing. Kurt rolled on top of Blaine, kissing him gently.   
  
“This feels very Twilight-esque,” Blaine smiled. “Laying in a field of flowers in the middle of a forest.”  
  
“I promise I won’t sparkle,” Kurt laughed. “I like it here. It’s beautiful. There is something…untainted about it. It’s like we’re the first people to find it and no one will ever know about it besides us.”  
  
Blaine let his eyes roam across the small clearing and smiled. The soft, long grass was covered in a blanket of silver flowers. The petals glittered as they swayed softly in the breeze and the reflection made Kurt absolutely glow.  
  
“I love you,” Blaine whispered, feeling his heart all but explode from the emotion. He would do anything for the boy above him and seeing the way Kurt’s eyes lit up he knew that he felt the same.   
  
“I love you too,” Kurt kissed him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to say it this way before.”  
  
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to understand it,” Blaine said back, feeling tears gather in his eyes.  
  
“Hey none of this,” Kurt’s hand brushed away the tears. “No crying, not here. This is our place. No one can hurt us and no one can see us. It’s…well…it’s somewhere only we know.”  
  
“Oh God!” Blaine laughed. “Please, don’t start speaking in song lyrics again.”  
  
“For a long time it was all we had,” Kurt slid his fingers between Blaine’s, staring down at his boyfriend with such love that the flowers looked dull in comparison to how Kurt’s eyes shown. “I would have sung everything for the rest of my life if it meant being able to hear you.”  
  
“You’re sweet,” Blaine smiled and moved over to kiss the back of Kurt’s hand. “I missed hearing you talk so much. You sing like an angel Kurt but I missed talking to you.”  
  
“So, every time you miss that again why don’t we go somewhere only we know?” Kurt grinned devilishly and Blaine pushed him off of him, resulting in a short wrestle that kicked up silver petals which fell like snow.   
  
Blaine woke up to sunlight streaming through his windows. Tie was still sleeping by his head, twitching faintly in her sleep.   
  
For the first time since the attack he was not left with the lingering dread of a nightmare or the aches reminding him of it.   
  
Blaine scooted over to his window and looked out, hearing Tie let out a sleepy meow in protest of being moved.  
  
It was snowing.


	11. Chapter 11

It was pretty easy to get bored out of his mind.   
  
Now that Blaine was doing better his parents felt comfortable leaving him alone when they went to work which was nice but he was left for hours and his friends were staying late for Warbler practice.   
  
Boredom finally won out and he found himself wandering around the house on his crutches trying to find something to entertain himself with.   
  
Blaine ended up rooting through his mother’s “Present Closet” where she kept boxes and gift wrap for presents. He was throwing boxes of every size behind him along with paint and wrapping paper that he liked.   
  
Getting all of the boxes into the living room was a little difficult with his crutches but he managed it. Soon the living room was covered in every craft supply they owned.   
  
He plugged his iPod into the sound system and got to work. Cutting at the cardboard boxes quickly tired his hand but he kept working at it until there were several doorways cut and then he began gluing together the tower.   
  
Tie was more than willing to help but unfortunately she was more interested in the tape. With a smile, Blaine stuck a piece of tape on her tail and then got to work making puffs out of tissue paper to stick into one of the little box rooms.   
  
After a good two hours he had decorated all of the box rooms with string, pipe cleaners, bubble wrap, and felt. He let Tie run around her new little cat tower as he decorated the outside with markers and stickers.  
  
Blaine finished drawing the last canary and sat back to look over his work. The cat tower was about four feet tall and was a maze made of different sized boxes. Each room was a different thing for Tie to play with and she was thudding against the boxes as she attacked the things in the room.  
  
Laughing, Blaine kept poking his fingers into the holes and jerking them back before Tie was able to grab them. He continued building towers out of the boxes and used the empty wrapping paper tubes to make spires and decorated them with the bright silver paper and tinsel.   
  
The door opened just as he was attaching tiny flags to the tops. Wes and David stood in the doorway with armfuls of books and twin expressions of confusion when they saw that huge box castle Blaine had built.   
  
They both jumped when Tie attacked something inside and the castle lurched violently to the left.  
  
Blaine laughed as his friends circled around the castle and Tie stuck her head out of one of the little windows and chewed on the cardboard. David clapped and Wes smiled at him, handing over the huge pile of books.   
  
It was clear that the Warblers had put together every Where’s Waldo and I Spy book that they had. David and Wes looked so proud of their collection that Blaine couldn’t help but grin as he flipped through the stack.   
  
Pointing at the door, Blaine grabbed his crutches. Wes held the door open for him, David helped him into the car and they were off.   
  
A huge smile spread across his face as Wes pulled into the parking lot of the ancient park. When Blaine had first come to Dalton, covered in bruises and scared, Wes and David had taken him to this park and talked to him for hours. They had become fast friends after that and Blaine had opened up more, becoming far more comfortable with who he was.  
  
They stepped out onto the woodchips of the playground and made their way to the swings.   
  
Sitting on the ancient swings felt just like that day and Blaine linked his arms through the chains. He was able to close his eyes, feeling the sun on his face, the bite of cold air on his cheeks, and hear his friends humming next to him.   
  
For a moment, the intense longing to go back to how life was made his chest tighten and eyes grow moist.   
  
~*~  
  
David smiled over at Wes when he saw Blaine swinging himself gently with his eyes closed.   
  
The Warblers seemed less bright without their lead singer. Blaine’s cheerful energy and bright voice were gone and it was obvious in the way that the Warblers preformed.   
  
Blaine had shown up at Dalton covered in bruises, skinny as a rail, and refusing to talk to anyone. He would wince at every sudden movement, acting like he was expecting to be beat into a pulp.  
  
One day, Wes had heard Blaine singing softly to himself when he thought he was alone outside of the building and insisted that he at least audition. Blaine had sung beautifully, was immediately accepted in, and since that moment had opened up to become the brave and charming young man they knew today.  
  
On the day of the attack no one called them to let them know. Half of Warblers practice had gone by before Wes was angry enough at the missing front man that he called his phone several times before Blaine’s tearful mother answered the phone to tell them that he was in the hospital.  
  
For a few days, Wes and David had visited their friend. It was unbelievably horrible to go in and see their usually vibrant friend laying pale and beaten in the bed. Soon it was almost impossible to sit there with the tearful Kurt and exhausted Amy.   
  
Finding out that Blaine was brain damaged was tough on all the Warblers but especially on Wes and David. It had taken so long for Blaine to finally build up the courage to speak and it was not fair that that had been taken away from him.   
  
Blaine pushed himself shakily onto his feet before tapping his head and making his way to the car to find his hat.   
  
David sat up a little straighter when he saw two young men approach Blaine with a map. When the two men moved a little closer to Blaine both boys jumped up and hurried over.   
  
“…your problem? You’re a retard?” The taller of the two men laughed and Blaine shrank down, not able to understand but recognized the hostile tone.   
  
  
“Hey!” Wes shouted out as they got up to his side. “Can we help you?”  
  
“Yeah, we were just trying to find out way to the main street but this ‘tard wasn’t able to help us…” The man wasn’t able to finish after David smashed his fist into the man’s face.   
  
“You son of a bitch,” David snarled, vision going red. “Don’t you dare say that to him!”  
  
“What the hell man?” The man’s voice was muffled by his hands.   
  
“You better get out of here,” Wes straightened up threateningly and glared.   
  
Fortunately the men decided not to press any further and with a few more glares they got in their car and left. All of the fight left both of the boys and they looked over to Blaine.  
  
It was like looking into the past.   
  
Shadows clouded over Blaine’s eyes and had curled in on himself. Suddenly Wes found himself wishing, not for the first time, that Blaine could speak to them.   
  
He placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder and felt Blaine flinch. David let out a soft sigh and seemed to deflate next to him.   
  
Without a word, Blaine opened the door and slid into the back seat of the car. The other boys stood outside for a moments before Wes opened the driver’s side door and turned on the car.  
  
Then they both got on either side of Blaine and leaned back, just sitting in the warmth of the heater and listening to music.   
  
Suddenly, Blaine lurched forward and buried his face in his hands. Wes gently laid his hand on his back which was now shaking with sobs and sighed. For years Blaine was beaten down and forced to believe that he was less than a person. It took a long time before he was able to see that he was not only a person but an incredibly kind, talented person.  
  
That man had basically just told him that he was not normal and that he was wrong.   
  
Wes seethed slightly in anger at the ignorant cruelty of the two men and his hand tightened into a fist, digging slightly into Blaine’s coat.  
  
“People fucking suck sometimes,” David snarled.   
  
Sometimes they really did, Wes thought as Blaine continued to sob.


	12. Chapter 12

A few days before Christmas Kurt arrived at the Anderson’s house with a basket and a mischievous smile.   
  
He forced a laughing Blaine into his parents’ room and pointed at the bed. Still smiling, he made himself comfortable as Kurt gave him a little wave and shut the door behind him.   
  
The sounds coming from the living room really didn’t give Blaine any clue to what Kurt was doing but he tried to listen even harder. Soon enough Kurt opened the door and helped his boyfriend into the living room.   
  
The Andersons were not big on celebrating Christmas. They put up a tree and hung a few stockings but didn’t go all out like most families.   
  
Now the living room was draped in soft white fabric, twinkling with lights and small sparkling snowflakes. The tree had been covered in silver and gold ornaments, holly hung everywhere, and candles on every flat surface. The coffee table had a huge assortment of delicious looking Christmas treats and two cups of hot cocoa.   
  
Kurt stepped quickly off to the side and pressed play on his iPod, letting the familiar piano entrance wash over them.   
  
 _I really can’t stay  
Baby it’s cold outside _  
  
A huge grin spread across Blaine’s face and Kurt held out his hand.  
  
 _I’ve got to go away  
Baby it’s cold outside _  
  
He took Kurt’s hand and they began to slowly dance in the living room.   
  
 _This evening has been  
Been hoping that you’d drop in _  
  
Soon though, the lack of crutches made it difficult for Blaine to keep up with even the slow pace they had been going and he frowned down at his legs. Kurt rubbed his hands over Blaine’s back for a moment before gently tapping Blaine’s bare feet with his shoes.   
  
 _So very nice  
I’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice _  
  
With some help from Kurt, he was able to stand on the tops of his shoes and they returned moving in their slow circle.   
  
 _My mother will start to worry  
Beautiful what’s your hurry _  
  
The feeling of Kurt moving both of them brought Blaine to tears. He wrapped his arms tighter around his neck and buried his face against his boyfriend’s shoulder.   
  
 _My father will be pacing the floor  
Listen to that fireplace roar _  
  
Kurt hummed softly into his ear, tightening his own grip around Blaine.   
  
 _So really, I’d better scurry  
Beautiful, please don’t hurry _  
  
Blaine was feeling himself sag slightly, the pain in his hips and legs making itself known. He tried to keep his legs straight but Kurt noticed the trembling and moved them towards the couch.   
  
 _Well maybe just a half a drink more  
Put some music on while I pour _  
  
Laughing, Blaine accepted the cocoa and sipped at it. His heart was pounding in his chest as Kurt sat down next to him, shoulders and knees touching, and he knew it wasn’t from exertion.   
  
 _The neighbors might think  
Baby, it’s bad out there _  
  
Kurt had his eyes closed and was humming along to the song, taping his foot against Blaine’s calf. Unable to keep his eyes off of his boyfriend Blaine just stared at him, wondering how he got so lucky and why he deserved such a wonderful person in his life.   
  
 _Say what’s in this drink  
No cabs to be had out there  
I wish I knew how _  
  
“Your eyes are like starlight,” Blaine sang along with the track, getting a blush out of Kurt.   
  
 _To break this spell  
I’ll take your hate your hair looks swell _  
  
“I ought to say no, no, no sir,” Kurt sang back with a small smile.   
  
“Mind if I move closer?” Blaine scooted himself even closer and pressed against him, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.   
  
 _At least I’m gonna say that I tried  
What’s the sense in hurting my pride _  
  
They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before kissing gently. Blaine had always heard that kissing the right person was like fireworks but kissing Kurt was like a supernova. His entire body tingled and his heart felt like it had grown three sizes in that moment.   
  
Okay, so maybe all of the Christmas cheer was getting to him.   
  
 _I simply must go  
Baby, it’s cold outside  
The answer is no  
Ooh darling, it’s cold outside _  
  
Kurt leaned back, pressed a quick kiss to his forehead and jumped up to grab a small box out of his bag.   
  
 _This welcome has been  
I’m lucky that you dropped in  
So nice and warm  
Look out the window at that storm _  
  
Blaine felt his cheeks heat up, suddenly upset since he hadn’t gotten Kurt anything. The box was wrapped in gold wrapping paper and there was a navy blue and crimson bow.   
  
Dalton colors, Blaine realized with a smile.   
  
 _My sister will be suspicious  
Man, your lips look delicious  
My brother will be there at the door  
Waves upon a tropical shore _  
  
He undid the ribbons and opened the box with Kurt’s urging. Inside the box was a slim silver tie clip with a flower engraved into the center.   
  
It looked just like the flowers that Kurt and he had lay on in his dream.   
  
 _My maiden aunt’s mind is vicious  
Gosh your lips are delicious  
Well maybe just half a drink more  
Never such a blizzard before _  
  
Kurt looked uncertain when Blaine sat in complete silence and began to speak nervously. He mentioned the word tie a few times and reached for the box. With a wordless cry Blaine flung his arms around Kurt and shook with happy sobs.  
  
 _I’ve got to go home  
Oh baby, you’ll freeze out there  
Say, lend me your coat,  
It’s up to your knees out there _  
  
“Thank lostra,” Blaine concentrated hard and whispered it into his neck. “Thank.”  
  
Kurt murmured something and for the first time Blaine really didn’t care that he couldn’t understand.   
  
 _You’ve really been grand  
I thrill when you touch my hand  
But don’t you see  
How can you do these things to me _  
  
Kurt leaned back and wiped off the tears from Blaine’s cheeks. He smiled, took the tie clip, and attached it to the Dalton tie that was now tied on his crutch.   
  
 _There’s bound to be talk tomorrow  
Think of my life long sorrow  
At least there will be plenty implied  
If you caught pneumonia and died _  
  
The tie clip shone far more brilliantly than any of the lights in the room and the engraved flower seemed to glow. Blaine ran his finger over the grooves and smiled brightly. He spun around and pressed his lips to Kurt’s.  
  
 _I really can’t stay  
Get over that hold out  
Ahh but it’s cold outside _  
  
The candles began to burn low and the food sat forgotten on the table as the two boys lost themselves in each other. Blaine felt like his chest was going to explode when he saw how Kurt wasn’t treating him like glass.   
  
It was like how it was, just two boys in love.   
  
 _Ahh but it’s cold outside_


	13. Chapter 13

Kurt tried to focus on the colorful fish swimming around on Planet Earth but it was hard.   
  
…Difficult…it was difficult.   
  
For months he had done nothing but worry about his boyfriend and had not really put any focus on himself. Blaine was curled up into his side, watching the television and smiling softly.   
  
Before he would have just been happy knowing that Blaine was content and not in pain but at the moment it was just too hard.  
  
Damn it…too difficult.  
  
Blaine was wearing one of those white v-necks that he was so fond of and since his arms had actually built up some muscle from the wheelchair and crutches it fit him a little more snugly than before.   
  
Kurt was not complaining.  
  
He tried to focus on the big, scary fish that was now stalking the baby sea horses but Blaine was warm, pressed into his side, and would occasionally snuggle down further.  
  
Even the fish ripping the baby seahorses apart really didn’t help much.   
  
Blaine’s hand dropped to Kurt’s knee and he rubbed it slightly, smiling up at his flustered boyfriend. For a moment Kurt felt like they were a few months in the past and he was still just amazed that such an gorgeous boy was his boyfriend.   
  
Then it all came back. Blaine was recovering from a vicious attack and was still healing from brain damage. Guilt rushed through him as he realized that he was being selfish and lusting after his injured boyfriend who most likely had no interest in intimacy.   
  
Blaine hummed low in his throat and moved far enough down that he was laying his head on Kurt’s lap. Instantly Kurt tried to focus on the pieces of baby seahorse floating in the water.   
  
He couldn’t do anything. The last thing that Kurt wanted was for Blaine to think that he was getting impatient and just wanted to have sex. Honestly, he was content just sitting here on the couch and cuddling with his boyfriend.  
  
Sighing softly, Blaine continued to rub at his knee, seemingly unaware of his distress. Kurt couldn’t hold back a soft gasp when Blaine’s hand drifted further up his leg and he glanced up with a cheeky smile.   
  
Oh.  
  
 _Oh._  
  
“No,” Kurt grabbed Blaine’s hand and threaded their fingers together. “It’s okay, you don’t have to.”  
  
The distraught look on Blaine’s face broke his heart. He hated to think that Blaine thought that he needed physical contact to get him to stay. With a smile he pressed a kiss to Blaine’s palm.  
  
Blaine let out a gust of air and flopped down onto his back. He looked so upset that Kurt felt terrible.  
  
“I love you babe,” Kurt said, knowing that Blaine couldn’t understand him but hoped that the tone went through to him. “I’ll be here with you forever. I don’t need sex to be happy.”  
  
Blaine stared up at him for a few moment and then suddenly grabbed his crotch.  
  
 _Ohhhhh._  
  
Grinning fully now, Blaine sat up and pressed their lips together. It was nothing like the comforting pecks they had given each other throughout the months and Kurt couldn’t help but moan.   
  
“Blaine,” He tried again but Blaine pressed a finger to his lips. He shook his head, clearly begging Kurt not to speak.   
  
Kurt’s breath caught in his throat when Blaine stood and held out his hand, a pleading expression on his face. When Kurt took his hand and stood up as well, Blaine’s face lit up and he grinned.   
  
They walked up the stairs, slowed down by stolen kisses and some stumbles. When the boys finally got up to Blaine’s room they tumbled down onto the bed, giggling and grinning.   
  
As soon as Kurt got Blaine trapped under him after a short wrestling match the atmosphere changed.   
  
“Blaine,” Kurt whispered and felt Blaine shake his head. He opened his eyes and stared down at him.   
  
 _Please…please don’t speak._  
  
With a nod, Kurt leaned down and continued kissing him. The kisses grew even more heated and soon hands began to wander under clothes.  
  
Before the accident they had really only advanced to quick makeout sessions. Now they we tangled up in each other, gently removing their clothes until they had nothing separating them.  
  
Kurt exhaled shakily and began to kiss his way down his boyfriend’s trembling chest. His lips dragged slightly on the skin and he found himself smiling at the soft noises coming from above him.   
  
Suddenly his curious fingers and lips came into contact with a long line of raised skin along Blaine’s hip. Leaning back Kurt traced his fingers along the dark, ugly scar, feeling his breath hitch.  
  
 _I’m sorry._  
  
Kurt glanced up to Blaine who was staring down at him with over bright hazel eyes. He smiled sweetly and gently ran his fingers through Kurt’s soft hair.   
  
 _It’s okay._  
  
With a tug, Blaine pulled his boyfriend up to kiss him deeply. Both of them gasped and groaned when Kurt ground his hips down.   
  
Their kisses became more frantic and sloppy as they slowly moved against each other. Kurt intertwined their fingers and pressed Blaine’s hands down into the sheets.  
  
Blaine jerked several more times, breathing coming out in hitches and with one final shuddering gasp he collapsed back into the bed. He tried to fight through his daze to kiss Kurt back as he fell apart. Kurt fell on top of his boyfriend when his trembling arms gave out.   
  
 _I love you._  
  
Kurt pressed trembling lips to Blaine’s lips and leaned back to see unshed tears glistening in his eyes. Blaine smiled widely, looking far happier than ever before.   
  
 _I love you too._  
  
With a huge grin Kurt pressed their foreheads together and laughed lightly. He rolled onto his side and hugged Blaine tightly to him.   
  
After a few moments of being curled up together Kurt noticed that Blaine was trembling and crying softly.   
  
Dread washed over him like ice water and Kurt shot up to get a better look at Blaine’s tearstained face. Was he in pain? Did he hurt him? Did Blaine really not want to do anything?  
  
Blaine’s hands scrubbed at his eyes, sniffling slightly as Kurt tried to tip up his chin to meet his gaze. He stroked at Blaine’s cheekbone comfortingly, confused when Blaine began to grin.   
  
 _Thank you._  
  
Relief made Kurt almost dizzy when he realized what Blaine meant. He had been treating Blaine like he would shatter at any moment when all he wanted was to be treated like Kurt’s boyfriend instead of a patient.   
  
 _It’ll be better now,_ Kurt pressed a kiss to the top of Blaine’s head.  _I promise. I love you._  
  
In that moment Kurt realized that they had never said a word to each other the entire time. There were no forced singing conversations or awkward hand gestures. They connected at a much closer level and completely understood each other.  
  
They didn’t need words to express how they felt.


	14. Chapter 14

Scowling down at his watch, Kurt hurried up the Anderson driveway. Finn had decided to take his sweet time coming home and made him late going to Blaine’s. They had planned on making a blanket fort and watching the Les Miserables Dream Cast DVD.   
  
“Umm…Kurt?” A soft, familiar voice made him freeze.   
  
Dave Karofsky stood behind him, wringing his hands. He was wearing a long sleeved t-shirt with jeans and looked so much smaller without his huge letter jacket.   
  
“What are you doing here?” Kurt asked after a long silence.   
  
“Okay…this is weird,” His eyes were shifting from side to side, looking nervous. “I obviously heard about your boyfriend and knew that he was pretty badly hurt.”  
  
“He has brain damage and can’t communicate,” Kurt spat out. “He was in a coma for days. He has nightmares. He almost died. He wasn’t just pretty badly hurt.”  
  
“Jesus, I didn’t know all that,” Dave’s face was red. “He’s getting better though, right?”  
  
“Why are you here?” Kurt had no more patience for this creepy, weird behavior.   
  
“I…wanted to see him…” Dave said softly.   
  
“Really?” He asked slowly. “Really? You hid outside of his house until I got here so you could talk to my boyfriend? Get the hell out of here Karofsky.”  
  
“I came out to my dad,” Dave blurted out as soon as Kurt turned around. “It really freaked me out when I heard what had happened. Blaine was a good guy and someone beat the shit out of him just because he’s gay. I don’t want someone to hurt me and my dad never to know who I really was.”  
  
Kurt stood silently as Dave took a few deep breaths to try to stop himself from crying.   
  
“I just needed him to know,” Dave whispered then smiled. “And he was okay with it. He told me that he loved me and would always accept me. I’ve really been a total asshole to you guys and you’re the only ones who understand what I’m going through. I didn’t want to push you both away. I’d like to help in any way I can.”  
  
“Oh…” Kurt was at a loss for words.  
  
“Honestly, if I was beaten for being gay I’m not really sure how many of my friends would be around for me,” Dave rocked back onto the heels of his tennis shoes.  
  
“Karo…Dave, you can come in if you want,” Kurt nodded towards the door. “We were going to watch a musical.”  
  
“Thanks,” Dave gave him a shy smile.   
  
With a deep breath, Kurt opened the door and called out Blaine’s name. The other boy practically bounded to the foyer from the living room and froze.   
  
“Kurt,” Blaine said slowly, sounding a little stilted.   
  
Kurt held up his hands in a pleading position and smiled slightly. The other boy was still staring at Dave with narrowed eyes and his whole body was tense.   
  
“Hey Blaine,” Dave paused between each word. “Good to see you.”  
  
“No matter how slow you speak he wont be able to understand,” Kurt said gently and turned back to the wary Blaine.   
  
Finally with lots of smiles and reassuring gestures, Blaine let Dave into the living room. He continued to hover near Kurt, giving Dave distrustful glares every so often.  
  
“He doesn’t like me,” Dave said softly halfway through the first song.   
  
“No,” Sugar coating it didn’t seem like it would help. “After what happened to him do you really expect him to accept a known homophobe as his new best friend.”  
  
Dave winced and stared down at his dirty shoes.   
  
“Yeah,” He mumbled.   
  
Blaine let out a frustrated sound from where he was perched on the couch arm.   
  
“So…I’ve been seeing this guy,” Dave said nonchalantly making Kurt choke on his diet coke.   
  
Blaine sat up straight, eyes narrowed and flicking between his boyfriend and Dave, trying to figure out what he said to upset Kurt.  
  
“What?” Kurt gaped as he patted Blaine’s arm to calm him down.   
  
“Yeah…his name is Leo. He goes to the other high school and we met at a party. We just kind of hit it off,” Dave shrugged. “I’m going to introduce him to my dad soon.”  
  
“Do you have a picture?” Kurt asked, smiling as Dave grinned and dug his phone out of his jean pocket.   
  
Leo was a handsome, muscular jock type with black hair and a wide smile. In the picture he was holding a basket ball and laughing.  
  
“He’s cute!” Kurt showed the picture to Blaine. He then made a heart with his hands and Blaine’s hostile expression melted as he cooed over the picture.  
  
“Yeah,” Dave took back the phone with a goofy smile. “He’s just super sweet and funny and great…he’s just great.”  
  
“How cute,” Kurt grinned at the obvious excitement from Dave. “I’m happy for you!”  
  
“This is great! I never get to talk about this kind of stuff. My dad is still trying to process all of this and I haven’t told any of my other friends,” Dave shrugged, gave the phone another fond smile before tucking it back into his pocket.   
  
“Well, you know how much I love gossiping,” Kurt laughed, feeling more comfortable with his old classmate. “Are you going to tell them?”  
  
“Azimio has been my best friend since preschool. I don’t really know how he’ll react I just don’t want to lose him as a friend,” Dave’s expression turned sad and he fiddled with his shirt sleeve.  
  
“If he is your best friend he will be there for you no matter what,” Kurt could feel Blaine shifting closer to him on the couch.   
  
“I do need to tell him,” Dave crossed his legs again and sighed.   
  
“He might surprise you,” Kurt noticed how still Blaine was, clearly seeing the way that Dave had curled in a little on himself.   
  
“Who knows,” Dave shrugged but didn’t looked very encouraged.   
  
“So, tell me more about this Leo,” Kurt clapped his hands.   
  
As soon as Karofsky left, with a much friendlier smile from Blaine, they worked on building their planned blanket fort. It turned out a whole lot more massive than they expected and easily fit them, a huge bowl of popcorn, and a laptop playing movies.  
  
They cuddled up together on Blaine’s ancient Power Rangers comforter and started Finding Nemo.   
  
Grinning, Kurt turned to see Blaine mouthing along with the words, having seen the movie so many times that he knew it by heart. He tossed a piece of popcorn at his boyfriend who smiled at him softly.   
  
“You’re such a goofball,” He grinned as he ate a few pieces.  
  
Suddenly, Kurt was hit with the most amazing image. He saw Blaine sitting in a blanket fort surrounded with boxes of pizza and two giggling children.  
  
A boy with Blaine’s curly hair and a girl with Kurt’s eyes.  
  
They burst into a fresh round of laughter after all reciting a quote together at the same time. Blaine lifted a hand to wave at Kurt who stepped into the room with fresh baked cookies, silver band glittering in the reflection of the television.  
  
A piece of popcorn hitting him square in the forehead startled him out of his thoughts and brought him back to the present.   
  
Tears glittered in his eyes when he realized that Blaine had spoken in his daydream.  
  
“Blaine, I want you to marry me,” Kurt said softly. “I know you can’t understand me right now, but I am going to ask you every single day until you can. We’re going to get married and we’re going to be so happy.”  
  
Blaine just smiled at him.


	15. Chapter 15

It had been a grueling two and a half hour car ride but seeing Blaine’s face when they pulled up to the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati made it all worth it.   
  
The other boy was grinning widely as he tugged Kurt’s hand towards the entrance, eyes shaded underneath his well worn Reds hat. Kurt laughed and followed, glancing back at his father and Scott trailing behind them.   
  
Blaine was staring excitedly at the huge crowd of baseball fans. He had been cooped up in his home for so long with so little interaction with people that he was almost in sensory overload.   
  
They passed their tickets to the woman at the front gate and made their way to find their seats.   
  
Kurt was never a fan of sports games. There was just something about mostly overweight men sitting in the hot sun eating junk food and getting drunk that just didn’t sit well with him. But Blaine loved them so he wasn’t complaining.   
  
Grinning widely, Blaine clapped his hands slightly when they stepped out and got their first full view of the expansive ball field. They walked up the stairs to their nice box seats (Scott knew a guy) and made themselves comfortable.   
  
Despite the happy expression on Blaine’s face, Kurt could see the effects of the time indoors on him. His previously tanned complexion looked almost pasty in the sunlight.   
  
“Here are some menus,” A young man handed them all laminated sheets. “Just let me know what you want and I’ll bring it right up for you.”  
  
Kurt knew that their fathers didn’t choose the box seat for the luxury aspect. They didn’t want Blaine sitting in the hot sun or walking up and down stairs. He also realized that they wanted as much privacy as possible so that they didn’t have to hide anything.  
  
Thankfully the menu had pictures along with the words and Blaine was easily able to pick out what he wanted.   
  
“Soft Jensen,” He said, pointing to the soft pretzel. A thrill of joy rushed through Kurt at how much Blaine had improved. Every time he said a word correctly a little more hope took place in Kurt’s chest and he wrote it down in a small notebook he kept under his bed.   
  
“He means the pretzel,” Kurt told the slightly confused man taking their orders. “I’ll have one too.”  
  
Blaine was sitting at the very edge of his overly cushioned chair, gripping the table and watching the players warm up. He quickly pointed one of the players out to his father who nodded enthusiastically.   
  
The happy glow in Scott’s eyes at being able to be with his son made Kurt’s heart clench.   
  
He stood quickly, feeling his eyes burn, and walked to the back of the room and grab a soda. Scott suddenly standing next to him startled him slightly.   
  
“I don’t know if I ever thanked you Kurt,” Scott said softly. “For bringing Blaine back. He wouldn’t be at this level without you.”  
  
“No need,” Kurt shook his head, feeling awkward.  
  
“I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t react well when Blaine told me he was gay,” Scott sounded ashamed. “I got upset and saw everything I had planned for him go down the drain. I didn’t know how to treat him so I tried to change him which only drove him away from me. But then he got hurt…almost killed…and it hit me that my son could die without me showing him that I really loved him. Then I believed that he would never be the same and that I lost my chance.”  
  
Tears glittered in the other man’s eyes.   
  
“But, because of you Kurt, he is coming back and I have my chance to have the relationship with my son that I almost destroyed,” Scott clapped him on the back with a wide smile.   
  
“I love your son,” Kurt said, voice choked. “I want to be with him for the rest of my life.”  
  
“I would be honored to have you as a son-in-law,” Scott bumped his shoulder. He grabbed two cups of diet coke and handed on to Blaine who was watching them over the back of his chair.   
  
Kurt took a deep breath, blinked away tears, and turned back to the group with a smile.   
  
The game began with a flourish, fireworks exploding as the Reds came out. Blaine crossed his legs underneath him and munched on his pretzel while his eyes remained fixed on the field.   
  
Seeing Blaine so happy and alive almost made Kurt forget about the last couple of months.   
  
Suddenly one of the batters hit the ball hard and began to sprint to base.  
  
“Go!” Blaine shouted, throwing his hands up. “Go, go! Get the bat!”  
  
The room was completely silent as the crowd screamed and cheered. Blaine didn’t even realize what he had said and just continued watching the play, eyes wide. With a huge grin, Kurt grabbed his hand.   
  
“Ball,” Kurt said gently, getting a distracted glance from Blaine. “Get the ball.”  
  
Blaine’s expression went blank for a moment before he went back and remembered what he said.   
  
“Get the bat,” Blaine said slowly.   
  
“Ball,” Kurt gripped his hand tightly. “Ball, but you’re close honey.”  
  
Blaine grinned, leaning back and mouthing the word ‘bat’ over and over again. Running his thumb over Blaine’s knuckles Kurt leaned over and grabbed the menu.  
  
“Excuse me,” Kurt pressed the call button. “Can we get a large order of cheese fries?”  
  
He laughed at the incredulous look on his father’s face and turned back to the game. Blaine would jump at every play, watching the replays excitedly, and looked so much more alive than Kurt had seen him.   
  
They happily sang along to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the seventh inning while eating incredibly unhealthy fries. By the eighth inning they were licking remnants of cotton candy off of their fingers.   
  
The Reds won by just one run, making the stadium explode with screams and fireworks. The group sat up in their private box for a few long minutes to avoid the crowds before making their way out.   
  
Trash littered the dirty concrete and Blaine jumped on it like a child stepping on leaves. Kurt let out a small shriek when Blaine kicked a ice cream cup at him and darted away.   
  
They continued to run around the rapidly emptying courtyard, kicking trash at each other and laughing. Finally, Kurt caught Blaine around the middle and spun around quickly, making his feet leave the ground.   
  
When Blaine’s feet hit the ground again he staggered back against his boyfriend, laughing breathlessly. Kurt couldn’t resist pressing a quick kiss to Blaine’s lips and they pulled away, grinning.   
  
“Come on boys!” Scott called.   
  
They shared another smile before linking hands and sprinting after their fathers.   
  
About halfway through the car ride, Blaine fell asleep on Kurt’s shoulder. The rest of the drive was in comfortable silence, only the sound of Burt’s oldies station playing softly in the background.   
  
“Kurt, how about you help Blaine up to his room and then come back and I’ll drive you home,” Burt suggested once they pulled up to the Anderson’s home.   
  
“Sounds good,” Kurt gently nudged his boyfriend awake and after a few sleepy mumbles was able to get him out of the car and up to his room with minimal stops. With a quick goodnight kiss, Blaine passed back out and Kurt walked downstairs quietly.   
  
“—up your prescriptions any time after nine am. Thank you so much Mr. Anderson,” The answering machine piped up cheerfully from the kitchen followed by a beep.   
  
“Uh…hi,” The next message began. “Mr. Anderson. I got your information from the detective handling your son’s case.”  
  
Kurt froze.   
  
“I’m a witness in his trial. I…found him after the attack. Listen, I know that he isn’t able to provide testimony but I really want to take that motherfucker down…excuse my language sir. I was just wondering if maybe I could meet him. It’s just that I think about him and don’t even know if he’s okay. So my name is Pat Fisher and my number is 253-920-5442 if you want to get in contact with me…or not if you think this is really creepy and weird…which it is…okay…bye.”  
  
The following beep startled him out of the daze and he rushed out of the home, jumping into his dad’s car.  
  
He could meet the man who saved Blaine’s life.


	16. Chapter 16

This was a really, really, really stupid idea.   
  
Kurt stared at the gas station, trying to ignore the painful clenching in his chest. The concrete had been scrubbed clean and any sign of the attack was gone.   
  
He couldn’t even tell that Blaine had thought he was going to die there.   
  
Finally, Kurt was able to force himself out of the car and stepped into the building. Their air conditioning was up way too high, making goose bumps rise up across his skin.   
  
“Excuse me,” He said softly to the attendant. “I’m looking for Pat Fisher.”  
  
“Yeah…that’s me,” The man raised his eyebrows and gave him a strange look.   
  
Pat Fisher was college-aged, was extremely tall, had a blonde surfer haircut and looked nothing like the knight in shining armor that Kurt had pictured.  
  
“Um…can I speak to you?” Kurt stuttered out, feeling incredibly uncomfortable.   
  
“Listen man, you look like your eleven,” Pat sighed. “I’m not giving you cigarettes or alcohol.”  
  
“That’s not what I wanted. I’m Blaine Anderson’s boyfriend,” Kurt held his breath as Pat’s eyes widened in recognition.   
  
“Oh,” Pat jumped a little bit and turned around to call one of the other employees. “Hey Marcos, can you watch the counter? I’ve got to do something.”  
  
He waved Kurt into the back room and shut the door behind him.   
  
“So, what’s your name?” Pat kept shifting back and forth on his feet.   
  
“Kurt Hummel,” Kurt gave him a small smile and held out his hand to shake. “It’s really nice to meet you.”  
  
“I’m going to be a witness,” Pat spoke up. “I hope that bastard stays locked up for a long time.”  
  
“Well, you know that the man attacked him because is gay right?” Kurt asked worried.  
  
“Not at the time,” Pat replied. “But that doesn’t matter to me. Dude, I am down with all that. My uncle is gay and one of the best guys I know so I’m not going to stop being a witness because of that.”  
  
“Oh thank God,” Kurt let out a huge breath.   
  
“It’s just…it’s my fault that it got that bad,” Pat swallowed hard. “I got stuck with the night shift which sucks because you’re all by yourself so I decided to sneak out back and have phone sex with my girlfriend. When I came back in the guy was just…slamming that tire iron into him over and over again.”  
  
Pat took a deep, heavy breath before continuing.   
  
“So, I grabbed the baseball bat we keep behind the register and went after him. The guy freaked, ran off and I called 911,” Pat sighed. “He was so fucked up man, I honestly thought that he was dead.”  
  
“Let me get this straight,” Kurt said, a tinge of hysteria making his voice go higher. “While my boyfriend was being beaten almost to death you were jerking off.”  
  
Pat swallowed and his shoulders drooped.   
  
“While his bones were breaking and he was hit hard enough to get sent into a coma you were off talking to your girlfriend about her lacy thong?” He was beginning to see red.   
  
“Blaine was…” Pat said softly.   
  
“You don’t get to say his name!” Kurt suddenly screamed, throwing his hands up. “You think you’re some kind of hero because you stopped him but this never would have gotten to this point if you weren’t fucking around. But, whatever helps you sleep at night I guess.”  
  
With one last hateful glare, Kurt spun around and rushed to his car.   
  
Before he was even sure what was happening, Kurt was speeding down the road. Finally, the tears in his eyes made him pull over and curl in on himself.   
  
For months Kurt had tried to forget. He had tried to distance himself from the attack and just focus on Blaine.   
  
But being at that place changed everything. He could see Blaine curled up between his car and the overflowing trashcan. He could see the cigarette butts clinging to the sticky blood pouring onto the concrete. He could see Pat coming back into the store, happily satisfied with his call with his girlfriend, and freezing at the sight of the man smashing the tire iron into the teenager’s too still body. He could see Pat run out, scaring off the man, and dialing 911 but far too terrified to touch the pale, still Blaine.   
  
Quickly, Kurt shoved open the door and vomited onto the dry grass. He heaved a few more times before collapsing onto the steering wheel.   
  
Blaine could have died on that dirty floor, among the trash and completely forgotten. He could have just been another gay bashing statistic and the world would have forgotten about him after a sad segment on the afternoon news. Kurt’s amazing, wonderful boyfriend who he loved could have been seen as nothing more than the trash he was laying in.   
  
Shaking, Kurt sank further into his seat. An hour went by before he was able to force himself to sit up and drive home. He pulled into the driveway and mechanically went into the house.   
  
“Hey bud,” Burt called from the kitchen, stepping into the living room. “I’m trying to make dinner but it’s a little…are you okay?”  
  
Kurt felt his face crumple and he covered it with his hands, sobbing. Awkwardly, Burt hurried over and pulled him into a hug shushing him softly.   
  
“What’s wrong?” Burt asked gently. “Hey, what happened?”  
  
“I…I went to the gas station today,” Kurt choked out. “And I spoke to the guy who saved him.”  
  
“What?” Burt pulled him back to look him in the eye.  
  
“He told me that he was out back on the phone with his girlfriend when Blaine was being hurt. I didn’t know what to do and I yelled at him.”  
  
“Kurt…” His eyes were wide and upset. “You went a talked to a witness in Blaine’s trial and got upset at him? Did you even think about the consequences?”  
  
“I…” Kurt stuttered out.  
  
“What if this gas station guy goes and pulls himself off of the trial? What if you upset him to the point where he doesn’t want to be a witness anymore? If people find out they can say that you threatened the guy and the trial might even get thrown out the window,” Burt’s voice got louder and louder. “You could have messed everything up for Blaine.”  
  
Kurt took a step backwards, face paling.   
  
“That was stupid and selfish and you’d better hope that it doesn’t bite you in the ass,” Burt continued angrily.   
  
“I’m sorry I didn’t…”   
  
“Think?” Burt spat. “You didn’t think! Jesus Kurt, this is what always happens. You get way too involved in these things and then you do something reckless. I want, and I know you do to, for that man to be locked away for a very long time but something so stupid as wanting to get some kind of closure could have prevented that from happening.”  
  
Kurt’s breath came out in a trembling wheeze. If he already hadn’t cried to the point that there were no more tears he would have sobbed. With a heavy sigh, Burt rubbed the back of his neck.   
  
“I’m sorry,” He breathed, his entire body trembling.   
  
“Just…think next time,” Burt sighed and made his way back into the kitchen.   
  
Kurt staggered up the stairs to his room and fell onto his bed, curling up instantly under the duvet. Shaking, he pulled out his cell phone and pressed the one on his speed dial.   
  
“Blaine,” He whispered as soon the ringing stopped.   
  
“Kurt!” Blaine’s cheerful voice made him curl up further.   
  
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Kurt breathed over and over again, sniffling. “I really messed up.”  
  
“Kurt,” His tone turned gentle and reassuring.   
  
“I love you and I’m sorry,” He sobbed. “I’m sorry that while you were hurt I was here getting ready for bed. I’m sorry that the last person you might have seen was that…fucking surfer boy who was too worried about his hard on to do his job.”  
  
“It’s oaky,” Blaine soothed. “Kurt oaky.”  
  
Frowning, Kurt puzzled over Blaine’s jumbled words.   
  
“Kurt oaky,” Blaine continued.   
  
 _It’s okay_  
  
Blaine was trying to reassure him.   
  
“Oh Blaine,” Kurt sobbed. “Blaine, please don’t.”  
  
“Loke you…lope you,” He could hear how hard Blaine was trying to form the words properly. “Look you.”  
  
“Blaine.”  
  
“Love you,” Blaine finished triumphantly, letting out a little laugh. “Love you, love you, love you, love you.”  
  
Kurt’s hand was trembling as he pressed the phone tightly to his ear. He had waited for so long for Blaine to say those words and had no idea how to respond.  
  
“Love you Kurt,” Blaine whispered.   
  
“I’m so sorry Blaine,” Kurt whispered, hanging up the phone and dropping it on the bed.   
  
He looked the man who saw Blaine at his worst today, saw the place where he had almost been murdered, almost screwed everything up because of his stupid mouth, and all Blaine could say was “I Love You.”  
  
Taking in deep shuddering breaths Kurt pressed his back to his headboard, staring at the phone.   
  
He didn’t sleep all night.


	17. Chapter 17

“What did you do?” Wes and David said at the same time as they cornered Kurt outside of the Warbler’s practice room.   
  
“What?” Kurt blinked owlishly back at them.   
  
“Blaine is devastated,” Wes continued, eyes narrowed. “He called me yesterday and was so upset that he was even harder to understand than ever. What did you do?”  
  
Hot shame burned through his chest and Kurt stared at his feet.   
  
“I got a little freaked out,” Kurt mumbled.  
  
“He kept saying ‘Kurt no love Blaine’,” David’s arms crossed over his chest. “At least, when he wasn’t sobbing too hard to even get a breath in.”  
  
“Blaine is in the Warblers room right now,” David pointed at the closed door. “He’s confused and upset. You are the most important thing to him and he isn’t going to give up without a fight, event though you clearly have.”   
  
Before Kurt was even able to respond, both boys led him through the doors.  
  
Blaine was dressed in jeans and a baggy Dalton sweatshirt despite the summer heat and looked unbearably small on the couch surrounded by the other Warblers.  
  
“So, remember when you sang Blackbird?” Wes asked, moving behind Blaine who was staring at his hands. “Because at that moment words weren’t enough?”  
  
Kurt nodded silently, feeling everyone’s eyes on him.   
  
“Blaine doesn’t have words,” David spoke up and Blaine winced at the pitying sound in his voice. “Will you hear him out?”  
  
“Of course,” Somehow Kurt found the strength to speak without his voice wavering he took a quick seat in one of the large leather chairs.   
  
“We’ll just be outside,” Wes said and motioned for every Warbler to leave quietly.  
  
Then Blaine turned his eyes up and Kurt felt like he had been punched in the stomach. The hazel burned with hurt and betrayal and were over bright with tears. He took a deep breath but didn’t stand.  
  
“Help, I have done it again,” Blaine sang so softly that he almost couldn’t be heard. “I have been here many times before, hurt myself again today, and the worst part is there’s no one else to blame.”  
  
Although he was quiet Kurt was stunned by the sheer powerfulness of Blaine’s voice without the back up of the Warblers.   
  
“Be my friend, hold me, wrap me up, unfold me, I am small, I’m needy, warm me up, and breathe me,” Blaine held the last note out and closed his eyes.   
  
No one breathed.   
  
“Ouch I have lost myself again,” Blaine’s voice began to pick up and he sang with more intensity. “Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found, Yeah I think that I might break, I’ve lost myself and I feel unsafe.”   
  
Tears began to fill Kurt’s eyes and his chest tightened painfully.   
  
God he was so stupid and selfish. He thought that if he just waited a little while then he would be able to respond to Blaine on his own terms but he never thought about Blaine.  
  
“Be my friend, hold me, wrap me up, unfold me, I am small, I’m needy, warm me up, and breathe me.”  
  
Kurt was Blaine’s main source of support and he had left. Blaine had exposed himself completely only to have his boyfriend sputter out an apology and hand up.  
  
“Be my friend, hold me, wrap me up, unfold me, I am small, I’m needy, warm me up, and breathe me,” Blaine held out the last note until his voice cracked.   
  
The last note hung in the air until Kurt sucked air in as a gasping sob.   
  
“Blaine!” Kurt threw himself on the floor, kneeling and grabbing Blaine’s hands. “I’m sorry! Oh god, I am so sorry!”  
  
“Miss you Kurt,” Blaine said almost soundlessly. “Miss you much!”   
  
Kurt pulled his trembling boyfriend to his chest and rubbed his back. They just sat together for a long time, holding onto each other silently.   
  
“This is killing me,” Kurt whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple. “I hate seeing you struggle and I hate feeling like I’ve let you down.”  
  
Blaine nodded against his neck.  
  
“I love you,” Kurt whispered and it was like he had been hit by a truck. His heart felt like it was too large for his chest and he actually felt like he would die if he let go of Blaine.   
  
“Kurt,” Blaine whispered, pulling back and staring at him in the eye. “Hurt.”  
  
“I know,” Kurt caressed his cheek. “I love you so much and I’m sorry.”  
  
Blaine’s eyes flickered down then he quickly pressed his lips to Kurt’s. There was no desperation or any sexual drive to it, just the overwhelming swell of love and need to be together.   
  
“Sorry,” Blaine whispered against his lips. “Dun.”  
  
“You are not dumb,” Kurt grinned and kissed him again. “You are brilliant, beautiful, kind, and wonderful. If anyone’s the dumb one, it’s me.”  
  
“Go home?” Blaine asked and grabbed Kurt’s hand.   
  
“Let’s go,” Kurt cocked his head and helped Blaine stand. They quickly said their goodbyes to the Warblers, who gave quick hugs to Blaine, and made their way to Kurt’s car.   
  
Blaine just drew circles on the arm rest of his seat, staring ahead. The tension was heavy in the car and Kurt knew that it would take some time for them to get back to where they were.   
  
But in a way he was kind of glad for it. The fight made Kurt feel like they weren’t just playing couple, they were in this for real.   
  
His phone buzzed with a text and he checked it at a stop light.  
  
 _From: Satan_  
  
Hey. Brit has something for your boytoy. We’re sitting outside his house.   
  
Frowning in confusion, he pulled up to Blaine’s driveway and sure enough, the two girls were sitting on the doorstep.   
  
“Blaine!” Brittany waved her hand, smiling widely. Blaine raised his eyebrows but waved back after a hesitating for a moment.   
  
“She insisted,” Santana raised her eyebrows and put on a mask of annoyance but they could see the fondness underneath.   
  
Brittany bounced slightly on her feet as Blaine unlocked his front door. She pulled him in excitedly, leaving Kurt and Santana to walk in after them.   
  
The contents of Brittany’s backpack was scattered all over the living room floor. Both her and Blaine were sitting among crumpled up paper, stuffed animals, candy wrappers, and what seemed to be at least six things of dental floss.   
  
Blaine was staring at a homemade card, laughing brightly. Glitter completely covered the whole card and pictures were drawn on it with puff paint.   
  
“I wanted to make him a card,” Brittany cuddled with Tie who was relishing the attention. “Because sometimes its hard for me to understand people and for people to understand me.”  
  
“Maybe Brit was born with whatever Blaine has,” Santana laughed brightly.   
  
Kurt smiled faintly and watched as Brittany pointed out some of the drawings on the card, chatting excitedly. Blaine was widely grinning, replying back to her in a long stream of made up words and confused phrases.   
  
Brittany didn’t notice or didn’t care, just listened and then responded right back. It was obvious that neither one of them knew what the other was saying but it didn’t matter.   
  
When Brittany pulled out a notebook and a set of glitter crayons it was impossible to stop smiling at the way Blaine’s face lit up.


	18. Chapter 18

Blaine kind of adored Brittany.   
  
The two girls would come almost every day, Santana armed with a stack of magazines and Brittany with some kind of craft. At first it was obvious that Kurt was uncomfortable with them there but eventually he began to let up a little and go out with his other friends.   
  
Which is why Blaine and Brittany were currently making friendship bracelets on the floor while Santana flipped through Cosmo. Brittany continued to chatter while braiding, making Blaine smile.  
  
He wasn’t really sure what she was saying but he was able to recognize some words and nodded as if he understood. Santana would add something in every so often and would occasionally show them pictures in Cosmo, usually asking Blaine to rate the hotness level of a guy.  
  
He thought…really he wasn’t sure what she was asking him.   
  
Tie suddenly launched herself from the couch onto the string in Blaine’s hand and he let out a yelp as tiny needle like claws dug into the skin. His arm jerked back sharply and knocked Santana’s leg off of the coffee table, causing her heel to hit him in the ribs.  
  
 _And the boot kept swinging down._  
  
He could feel his ribs give way and crack under the pressure and tried to scream for the man to stop. Please just stop.  
  
He was blinded by the blood streaming into his eyes and drowning in the blood filling his mouth.  
  
Dying.  
  
He was dying.  
  
Faggot! Fucking sick piece of trash! Go to Hell!  
  
The curses were quiet compared to the rushing in his ears.   
  
He couldn’t fight. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe.   
  
He was going to die.  
  
He was going to die under his car and his mind began to race at the blackness edging his vision.   
  
His parents would have to identify his body. They would be led, trembling and crying into a room where someone would pull back the sheet. For a moment they wouldn’t be able to recognize him since he was so badly beaten but then his mother would scream and her legs would give out.   
  
Kurt would be pulled out of class. He would be pissed that Blaine wouldn’t have texted him back but then would stare blankly at Miss. Pillsbury as she explained what had happened. Kurt would slide, shaking, to the ground and sob brokenly.  
  
His funeral would be nice. Kurt wouldn’t allow it to be anything less than amazing. The Warblers would sing and every one would talk about what a tragedy it was and how sad they were.  
  
It would be all over the news. People would tut and say how sad the story was and then continue on with their dinner. He would be forgotten.   
  
Maybe he would get a Lifetime special.   
  
The kicking stopped and someone was shouting loud and upset nearby, making him jerk slightly. Soft, gentle hands encircled him and held him tight.   
  
The gas station began to bleed away and Blaine blinked slowly, surprised at how painless death was. A blonde girl was stroking his cheek and smiling at him.   
  
It made him sad that an angel looked so worried.   
  
~~*~~  
  
Kurt leaned back against the couch with a grin. He had forgotten how much he missed spending time with Mercedes and Rachel and desperately needed to just relax.   
  
They spent the day watching a marathon of Grey’s Anatomy and giggling over McDreamy and McSteamy. As much as he loved Blaine he just wanted to be a goofy teenager with his friends and not worry all the time.   
  
“Really Santana?” Kurt mumbled and moved to press ignore again.   
  
“Why does she keep calling?” Mercedes asked, leaning over to see the caller I.D.   
  
“Last time was because she wanted to read me one of the sex articles from Cosmo,” Kurt rolled his eyes and ignored the call. “I just can only deal with her in little segments.”  
  
“Can’t we all,” Rachel rolled her eyes and dipped a celery stick in humus.   
  
They finished another episode and Kurt’s phone went off three more times. Each time he grew more annoyed until he finally listened to the voicemails, expecting to hear all about the new sex position of the day.  
  
“Hummel!” Santana’s voice was sharp and tinged slightly with hysteria. “Pick up the phone! Fuck. Listen, I accidentally kicked Blaine and he is freaking out. I think he’s gone into some kind of flashback and he’s having trouble breathing and isn’t looking at us. Come back now.”  
  
His heart fell through his stomach and his body went cold.   
  
“Something’s wrong,” Kurt gasped out, not even stopping to look at the girls. “I have to go.”  
  
His heart pounded as he raced down the streets, breaking multiple laws and had just enough sense to turn off the car before he bolted in.   
  
Blaine was curled up on the floor, covered in a blanket and Brittany was holding onto him tightly. The Little Mermaid was playing softly on the television but Blaine was clearly asleep.   
  
“Santana!” He hissed, grabbing the girl and pulling her into the kitchen. “What happened? What did you do?”  
  
“What did I do?” Santana’s eyes flashed and she straightened herself up. “I accidentally kicked him which triggered a flashback. Brit and I got him calmed down and he fell asleep a little while ago. I just freaked when I called you but he’s fine now.”  
  
“Flashback?” Kurt felt himself pale.   
  
“He got really stiff and his eyes unfocused. Then he began to jerk like he was in pain, couldn’t breathe properly, and just made these…weird sounds…” She shuddered. “He threw up a little bit later but once Brittany just held him and we popped a Disney movie in he was fine.”  
  
“I shouldn’t have left,” Kurt could feel cold sweat breaking out on his forehead and his hands began to shake. “I didn’t need to go. God, I’m so selfish!”  
  
“Hey!” Santana snapped. “Stop. He doesn’t need a babysitter. Yes, what he went through was horrible but what are you trying to do, keep him locked away in a tower until he’s forced to climb down on his hair? Newsflash, he’s getting better. He would be getting better faster if you let him go out and be a normal teenager for a bit. Just keeping him cooped up and not letting him get frustrated at all is not helping at all. He needs to get out in the world and try to communicate, make his own mistakes.”  
  
“He’ll get upset. People will not understand,” He let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair.   
  
“So your solution is to slowly smother him to death so that he never gets his feelings hurt?” She raised an eyebrow and shifted her weight backwards. “I’m pretty sure that hobbits have smaller lung capacity than us so it won’t take very long.”  
  
“I’m not smothering him! I just want him to be safe,” Kurt bristled.   
  
“You wont let him go to restaurants because your scared about all the interactions with people,” Santana rolled her eyes and frowned. “Let him order his own food. He needs the practice and the neurons needs to be exercised or they might lose their ability to reconnect and then he might never get it.”  
  
Kurt stared at her blankly and Santana shrugged.   
  
“My dad’s a doctor and that stuff…is kind of really interesting to me but the point is that he’s not a little glass statue. Let him make mistakes and learn from them.”  
  
Kurt glared at her for a moment before sighing and walking back into the living room. Brittany was gently running her fingers through Blaine’s hair and had her eyes locked on the television.   
  
“He’s sad,” She said softly.   
  
“I know,” Kurt took a seat next to her on the floor.   
  
“Why would someone hurt him?” Brittany looked at him with wide eyes. “Blaine is so nice and his hair is so pretty. People are so mean.”  
  
“I know,” Kurt said again. “He was a hateful, ignorant man who thought that he was better than Blaine.”  
  
“Blaine looks like a poodle,” Brittany petted the curls again. “Who would hurt a poodle? I hope that guy goes to jail forever.”  
  
“Me too,” Kurt pressed a kiss to her temple.   
  
“Kurt?” Blaine muttered, blinking sleepily up at him.   
  
“Hey,” Kurt smiled down at him, pleased to see that his eyes were clearing. “How are you feeling?”   
  
Blaine smiled up at him and stretched. With a chuckle, Kurt leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Blaine’s curls.   
  
“Let’s go get ice cream,” Kurt announced, standing up. Brittany cheered and leapt up as well, quickly followed by Blaine.   
  
The four teenagers piled into Kurt’s navigator and drove down to a small, local ice cream shop. The shop was empty, the only other person was the bored girl behind the counter.   
  
Blaine stayed close to Kurt’s side, eyeing everything. It always made Kurt smile at how much Blaine enjoyed being out of the house and in public.   
  
Santana and Brittany were licking on their strawberry cheesecake cones and watching each other in a way that made Kurt cringe slightly. With a slight nudge, Blaine pushed him forward and smiled.   
  
“No, you do it,” Kurt motioned at the ice cream counter.  
  
In an instant, Blaine’s smile vanished and he took a slight step back.   
  
“Um…do you want ice cream?” The girl asked hesitantly and Blaine shrunk down.  
  
“Sorry, he’s recovering from a brain injury and is having trouble communicating,” Kurt explained to the girl. “It freaks him out sometimes.”  
  
“Oh no rush!” The girl perked up. “I’m actually a pre-med student at college and took a class in communication disorders freshman year. Wernicke’s right? Mixes up words that are spoken and has trouble saying what he’s thinking. I wrote a paper on it and I know how devastating it is on the people who have it. Take your time not a problem at all.”  
  
She smiled reassuringly at Blaine who straightened up and walked to the display, pressing his hands against the cool glass.   
  
“Um…” He muttered softly, looking awkward. “Snow?”   
  
“Vanilla?” The girl reached the scoop over to the container but Blaine shook his head.   
  
“You’re doing good,” Kurt squeezed his hand.   
  
“Biscuit and snow?” He wrinkled his nose, knowing that the words were wrong.   
  
“Cookies and Cream?” The girl asked, pointing to that container. Blaine grinned, nodding excitedly.   
  
“Cookie and Cream!” Blaine laughed.   
  
The girl’s face split into a wide smile and she handed him a huge bowl of cookies and cream. Blaine looked so pleased that Kurt couldn’t help but feel the same rush of accomplishment.   
  
“I’ll share his,” Kurt pulled out his wallet but the girl waved him off.   
  
“It’s on the house,” She smiled. “Hope you feel better.”   
  
Blaine saluted her with his spoon, still beaming, and turned to Kurt. They all said their goodbyes to the girl and sat around a picnic table outside.   
  
“I’m proud of you,” Kurt whispered into Blaine’s ear as he got a spoonful of ice cream.  
  
“Cookie and cream,” Blaine smiled, bumping his shoulder.   
  
Kurt laughed and pressed a kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek. The injury completely turned their lives around and broke everything that they had built. Every day Kurt obsessed with the little things that improved and dreaded any reminder of that horrible night.   
  
But the improvements greatly outweighed any tiny setback.


	19. Chapter 19

“Kurt!” Rachel slammed a huge binder down on his desk. “We need to talk.”  
  
“Rachel,” Kurt closed his book and raised his eyebrows. “What is so important that you need to storm in here and assault my desk with your giant book of…something.”  
  
“Giant binder of our future,” Rachel’s eyes flashed as she opened the gold star studded binder. She flipped through pictures of apartments, restaurants, shops, and campuses.   
  
“This is for New York?” Kurt asked, heart sinking.   
  
“Of course. I know that with everything that’s happened to Blaine, we’ve put our plans on hold but we really can’t wait much longer,” Her huge, expecting eyes tore Kurt apart.   
  
“Oh, Rachel,” Kurt sighed, watching as her face dropped. “I don’t know if college is what is right for me at the moment.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“I don’t want to leave Blaine,” Kurt wrung his hands.   
  
“And so you are just going to stop living until he gets better?” Rachel asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. “I know that you love Blaine. Probably more than any one else can understand but do you really think it will do him any good if you just stay here? He will never forgive himself if you stay because of him.”  
  
“I don’t want to abandon him!” Kurt snapped.   
  
“So go out and make something of yourself!” Rachel raised her hands in the air. “When Blaine is ready he can join you there and you will already be established out there.”  
  
“Rachel…”  
  
“Don’t give up on your dream Kurt. You have wanted to perform for years and years and you can’t just stop,” Rachel pleaded, grabbing his hands.  
  
“Maybe I have a new dream,” Kurt muttered. “Maybe I’ve decided that my life isn’t just about performing but is about someone else.”  
  
Rachel sat back and sighed.   
  
“Okay…I respect that,” She ignored the rolled eyes. “Kurt, I love you but I would hate for you to resent yourself because you find yourself still here in ten years. If you become someone then you can help Blaine be the best he can be.”  
  
Kurt’s lips pressed together in a thin line.   
  
“So, look through my book and think about it. The deadline for NYADA is coming up,” Rachel pushed it towards him. “I particularly like the apartment that is on page sixty five.”  
  
Kurt watched as Rachel walked out and left him alone with the book. With a small smile, he flipped through the pages. Rachel had color coded the apartments by ones with good sound quality, wood floors, and distance to coffee shops.   
  
He began to flip through the pages of research on schools and laughed quietly to himself when he saw that they were all of the fine arts majors and courses.   
  
Scanning through the various majors one suddenly caught his eye. New York University offered a major in music therapy.   
  
Kurt stared at the words for a long time, really thinking about his choices. His whole life he had wanted to go into music. He loved performing but there was really nothing more amazing as when Blaine was able to say something.   
  
He wanted other people to get their lives back like Blaine.  
  
He wanted to help other people speak.   
  
After some quick research he found that the early application deadline was coming up soon. Kurt bit his lip and figured that he might at least apply and see what happened. For the rest of the weekend he worked on his application and essay.   
  
 _Indicate a person who has had a significant impact on you, and describe that influence._  
  
He had never written an easier essay in his life.   
  
 _My boyfriend is the most amazing human being. After years of being brutally bullied in public schools, he moved on and became a confident young man. He held his head high and soon became the lead soloist for his school’s glee club. Music was Blaine’s life.  
  
I met him at a very dark point in my life. We started off as friends with him giving me advice how to deal with being gay in a homophobic school. Our friendship grew until we realized that we were in love with each other. We realized that we had been searching for each other our whole lives.   
  
I guess you can call this the calm before the storm.   
  
One evening, after a date, Blaine was violently attacked in a hate crime. He was in a coma for days and we didn’t even know if he was going to survive. When he finally woke up, he was diagnosed with Wernicke’s Aphasia which resulted from brain damage. Blaine, who always knew what to say, was suddenly not able to communicate.   
  
However, music didn’t fail him.   
  
Blaine was able to speak to us through singing. Music was the one thing that kept us together and he slowly began to get better. Through all of the horror, pain, and uncertainty music was the only thing that kept Blaine tethered to us.   
  
I had dreams of becoming a singer on Broadway. I had dreams of being in a spotlight, of having people throw pictures at me to autograph, and of accepting my Tony award.  
  
After Blaine’s injury I realized that I was living my life for me. I realized that I loved nothing more than helping my boyfriend get better. There was nothing more amazing than listening to him improve and I realized that I want to make that what my life is about. I want to have people recover from injuries and watch their joy as they improve.   
  
I want to help people like my boyfriend get their lives back through music.   
  
Because of my boyfriend, I want to become a music therapist. My new dream is to help others by utilizing the thing that saved him, music. _  
  
Hands aching, Kurt smiled at his finished application.   
  
Honestly, it was a spur of the moment thing so Kurt didn’t hesitate pushing the submit button.  
  
He would see what happened. If he was accepted then it was meant to be but if he was rejected it would be a sign that he was supposed to stay with Blaine.   
  
Kurt tried to ignore the internal eye roll at the superstition.   
  
School started up and soon Kurt was buried in the rigorous Dalton coursework. Almost every afternoon was spent with Blaine, doing homework while he worked on basic language skills.   
  
It was obvious that Blaine felt the impact of not being able to go to school. He could tell that his friends were moving on and he was kept in a stand still with his life but it only inspired him to work harder.   
  
He spent hours doing therapy and when he wasn’t at the clinic he was trying to work on online modules. His improvement made everyone’s spirits rise.  
  
“Hello Kurt!” Blaine chirped into the phone about a month into school starting. “Hello!”  
  
“Hello to you!” Kurt laughed and turned off his car, choosing to just sit in his driveway. “What are you up to?”  
  
“I went food by me today,” He sounded stilted, clearly focusing hard on saying the words. “All by me.”  
  
“You got groceries all by yourself?” Heart fluttering, Kurt grinned. “Good for you! What did you get?”  
  
Blaine just hummed and Kurt heard a thud as he plopped down on his bed.   
  
“Kurt, tell me around Warblers,” He said, sounding excited.  
  
“Alright, well yesterday Jeff broke up with his girlfriend again. We got about halfway through the song before he burst into tears and sat on the floor. Apparently we can’t sing because Lindsay liked music and singing only reminds him of her,” Kurt relayed with a fond smile. “Wes then got angry and shouted at Jeff which only made him more upset because Lindsay used to yell at him.”  
  
Blaine laughed at that and Kurt wasn’t really sure if he understood or if he was just happy to hear his friend’s names.  
  
“So then Wes continued to wave his gavel around, which flew from his hand and nailed David in the nose. Needless to say, practice was canceled. I swear sometimes going to an all boys school is more drama than McKinley.”  
  
“Miss they,” Blaine mused making Kurt smile softly.   
  
“They miss you,” He felt the familiar pull in his chest. “You are getting so much better Blaine. I’m so proud of you!”   
  
Blaine instantly began to talk about his day and Kurt stepped out of the car to check the mail. Finally, he was able to somewhat follow Blaine’s line of conversation but occasionally he would go off on a tangent of confused words.   
  
It was the most amazing thing ever.   
  
Kurt balanced his phone on his shoulder as he opened the mailbox and flipped through the pile of bills before he got to the last letter. He froze when he recognized the NYU seal in the corner. He opened it with trembling fingers as Blaine continued to speak.  
  
 _Mr. Hummel,_  
  
Congratulations! We are pleased to accept you through early acceptance into the school of music at New York University. We were very impressed with your application and believe that you will be an amazing addition to our program.   
  
Well, shit.   
  
Guilt almost choked him as Blaine finally went quiet. Kurt had told himself that being accepted would be a sign. It would be a reason to go out and become someone.   
  
“Kurt?” Blaine sounded worried. “Okay?”  
  
“I’m fine Blaine,” Kurt stared down at the letter. “Hey, I’m going to call you back.”


	20. Chapter 20

Kurt handed Blaine the brilliantly wrapped present with a wide grin. His face completely lit up and he took the package happily, shaking it next to his ear.   
  
“Open it,” Kurt sat down on the bed next to Blaine, feeling his stomach twist into knots.   
  
Not wasting any time, Blaine tore into the wrapping paper and ripped open the box. Instantly his wide grin slipped slightly and he just stared into the box in confusion.   
  
He pulled out the NYU teddy bear, base ball cap, an I Love New York t-shirt, and a crate and barrel magazine.   
  
“Kurt?” He looked at all of the items and tried to piece it together. Then he recognized the colors of the bear and cap and looked up at Kurt with huge eyes.   
  
“I’ve been accepted to NYU,” Kurt said, hoping that Blaine understood. “I’m going in the fall.”  
  
Even though Blaine couldn’t really ready the words on the items he finally recognized the colors and style. He looked up at Kurt, confusion written all over his face.  
  
“I’m going to college,” Kurt said softly and Blaine’s eyes widened.  
  
“Away?” Blaine whispered, gripping the bear tightly.   
  
“This is best for us,” Kurt continued, gripping his hands together. “You will come with me when you are better.”  
  
“Leaving?” Tears were beginning to gather in Blaine’s eyes.   
  
“No,” Kurt placed a hand on his boyfriend’s cheek. “I will never leave you. We’re going to skype every night and I’ll be back for holidays and a few weekends. This is for our future.”  
  
Blaine sat silently and stared at the bear in his hands.   
  
“What about me?” He asked softly.  
  
“Oh Blaine,” Kurt couldn’t even find himself to be excited by the well formed sentence and pulled him into his arms. “You are going to get better. You are going to get into a college in New York. You are going to come to New York and you are going to move into Rachel and my apartment. You are going to become a remarkable teacher. We are going to get married and grow old together.”  
  
Blaine looked at him with big, watery eyes.   
  
“We’ll be together again,” Kurt whispered.   
  
“I’ll miss you,” Blaine mumbled and pulled on the bear’s ear.   
  
“Blaine, look at yourself,” Kurt stroked his cheek. “Look how much better you are doing. Look how far you’ve come. We can’t just stay stuck in this world and never move on. We had a plan and this can’t alter it.”  
  
The other boy’s face crumpled and he pulled his knees up to his chest.  
  
“I can’t hear,” He whispered. “Your speak does not hear.”  
  
Kurt leaned back, blinking back tears. Blaine couldn’t even completely understand him trying to explain that he was going.   
  
There were no words that needed to be said afterwards. Kurt just pressed their foreheads together and wiped at their tears. The just moved closer and closer until Blaine was practically sitting sideways in his lap and Kurt held him tightly to his chest.   
  
“I’ll come,” Blaine said suddenly, startling Kurt. “I’ll leut to hear. I’ll come to York.”  
  
He breathing was coming a little sharper and he curled into Kurt’s chest, twisting his fingers into Kurt’s shirt.  
  
“You’ll meet other. You’ll meet whole and then I’ll still be apart,” His gasping sobs broke Kurt’s heart. “I’ll be here. You’ll be away. You’ll learn that I’m apart. That I’m in pieces.”  
  
“Shh,” Kurt hushed, just rubbing his arm. “No Blaine. I would never leave. It’s you. It is only you.”  
  
With a gulping breath, Blaine pressed their lips together and the momentum pushed them both back onto the bed. The desperate way that he clutched at Kurt’s face shocked him into pulling back.   
  
“Blaine,” Kurt whispered, staring into the wide eyes.  
  
“Please,” He whispered, voice cracking. “Kurt, please.”  
  
There was a moment when Kurt was sure that time had stopped as they stared into each other’s eyes.   
  
Then Blaine kissed him so gently that Kurt gasped. It was so different from any other kiss that they had shared before and felt so much more important and meaningful.  
  
Sex before had been rushed, exciting, and lighthearted as they relished in the experience of being two teenagers. They would completely focus on the physical sensations and would collapse, giggling and kissing each other, high on their love.  
  
This time was completely different.  
  
As Kurt slowly pressed into Blaine they kept their eyes locked. Blaine breathing hitched as Kurt began to rock into him and tears gathered in the corners of his eyes.  
  
“Stay,” He whispered, twining their fingers together. “Stay here. Stay now. This is us.”  
  
“Yes,” Kurt nodded, staring into his bright hazel eyes. “I will never leave you.”  
  
The next few moments were a chorus of gasps, moans, and cries as they collapsed together. Both boys curled into each other and just clung.  
  
“I love you,” Blaine whispered, voice cracking. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too,” Kurt pressed a kiss to his temple.   
  
“I’ll get to York,” Blaine said firmly. “I’ll becomes whole. I’ll get to there.”  
  
“I know,” Kurt smiled.   
  
“I’ll be there forever with you,” Blaine mumbled. “Together. We’ll together. I’ll be better.”  
  
“We’ll get married and we’ll be happy,” Kurt whispered, smiling when Blaine glanced up at him.   
  
“Happy,” Blaine smiled back, gently tracing a heart on Kurt’s wrist.


	21. Chapter 21

Blaine happily followed Kurt into the Warbler practice room for a weekend rehearsal. Squeezing his boyfriend’s hand he smiled sweetly at him and nudged his shoulder.   
  
“He’s here!” They could hear Nick’s excited voice from across the room. Instantly, a mob of Warblers charged them and scooped Blaine up into a hug. They pulled him to a couch and chattered quickly at him.  
  
It was obvious that Blaine was a little overwhelmed by the crowd but he just smiled up at them. Kurt crossed his arms over his chest and laughed as Nick explained something through wild hand gestures.   
  
“So that’s the famous Blaine Anderson?” A voice spoke up from behind him and he spun around to see a tall boy he didn’t recognize.  
  
“Yeah, sorry are you new?” Kurt asked. The council had declared that they have a few days off to relax and Kurt honestly hadn’t been paying much attention to the new Warbler additions since the attack.   
  
“How rude of me!” The boy’s handsome face lit up with a grin. “I’m Sebastian. I just transferred.”  
  
“Kurt,” He stuck his hand out and shook Sebastian’s. “I transferred her last year as well. I’m Blaine’s boyfriend.”  
  
“Lucky guy,” Sebastian laughed and his eyes slid over to look at Blaine. “I’ve heard amazing things about his voice. It’s a shame that he wasn’t able to come this year.”  
  
“Uh-huh,” Kurt felt tingles run up and down his spine. “He’s still recovering from the attack so it’s best for him to focus on himself for the time being.”  
  
“Oh right. I’ve heard about all that. Absolutely horrible what happened to him but, hey, at least he has a good boyfriend to take care of him right?”   
  
Kurt raised his eyebrows and would have said something but Jeff pulled him over to a conversation about their new set list. He shook away the quiver of unease and hurried over to the other Warblers, smiling.  
  
~*~  
  
As soon as Kurt hurried off Sebastian turned his attention back to the boy sitting on the couch.   
  
Blaine was much better looking in person than in pictures Sebastian had been looking at. His hair was curlier and softer looking, eyes far more golden, smile much wider and his body…Jesus…  
  
Slapping a huge grin on his face, Sebastian sauntered over and sat down on the couch next to Blaine.   
  
“Hello!” He said warmly, smiling as Blaine’s face scrunched adorably in confusion.   
  
“Um…new? Fresh?” Blaine stuttered over his words.  
  
So it was true. He had heard the sappy sweet romantic movie plot that was Kurt and Blaine, or Klaine as some of the Warblers called them. He heard how a traumatic injury led to brain damage and the discovery of their undying love for each other.  
  
Really?   
  
Were they going to be played by Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock?  
  
So when Sebastian caught sight of the insanely attractive boy smiling up at him with his wide innocent eyes. Poor Blaine who was struggling so hard with getting himself heard. He probably was being treated like a child and ignored.   
  
Good thing that Sebastian was so willing to listen.   
  
“No, I’m not a freshman,” Sebastian tipped his head to the side and smiled. “I’m Sebastian.”  
  
“Like…” Blaine frowned clearly trying to find the right words. “Like lobster?”  
  
Sebastian laughed, bright and loud, clapping his hand on Blaine’s knee as he make crab claws with his hands.   
  
“Exactly,” Blaine smiled back, flashing him a wide smile of bright white teeth. “You are just too cute! Way too cute!”   
  
Blaine didn’t seem to understand and just continued to smile at him.   
  
“So what do you do for fun Blaine?” He leaned in close and moved the hand further up his leg. “Fun? What makes you happy?”  
  
“Home,” Blaine shrugged, curling his shoulders in a little.  
  
“You don’t go out? They make you stay at home all the time?” Sebastian pouted. “It must get boring. Slow? Sad? Lonely?”  
  
“Yeah,” That smile had slipped away a little.   
  
“Hey Blaine?” Sebastian asked, patting his leg a little. “You know the idea that you sit at home all by yourself makes me sad. Let’s have some fun. Huh? Want to go out and have fun?”  
  
“Oh,” The smile vanished completely. “I don’t…”  
  
“We can go dancing at this club I know,” The wariness never left Blaine’s eyes. “It’s a gay club so no one will look at us funny.”   
  
“I…Kurt?” Blaine glanced over to his boyfriend, still on the other side of the room.  
  
“Are you really going to sit on your couch watching movies all your life with your boyfriend? Be spontaneous. Try something new! You don’t need to stop living just because you were hurt,” Sebastian grabbed his hand.   
  
After a moment of hesitation Blaine nodded.   
  
“Fun. Let’s have fun,” He nodded sharply.   
  
“Great! Live on the wild side,” Sebastian clapped his shoulder and dug his phone out of Blaine’s pocket. “I’m putting my number in here. I’ll shoot you a text or something before we go tonight okay? Don’t tell anyone.”  
  
Blaine’s eyes crinkled as he put a finger to his lips.   
  
“Great!” Sebastian squeezed his thigh, “See you tonight.” He stood and walked out of the room, shooting Kurt a quick smile as he went.  
  
~*~  
  
Blaine was all but shaking in excitement as he finished getting dressed. It was a complete thrill to do something so out of character. He was just so tired of being at home and having everyone treat him like he was breakable.   
  
He just wanted to do something stupid and reckless like any other teenager.   
  
His phone vibrated and with a quick glace he recognized Sebastian’s name and a winking face. Grabbing his wallet and taking one last glance in the mirror, he hurried down the stairs and snuck out of the front door.   
  
Sebastian was standing against the passenger side of his incredibly nice car, smiling brightly.   
  
“Hello!” The other boy gave him a nod.  
  
“Hey,” Blaine grinned back, feeling a slight twinge of guilt. He knew that going out like this with Sebastian was not exactly what he should be doing since he had a boyfriend but he liked the other boy. Sebastian treated him like he was a normal person and allowed him to have fun.   
  
With a gallant sweep of his arm, Sebastian opened the door for him and ushered him in. The drive to the club was comfortable, both boys singing along to the radio and laughing.   
  
With his first step into the club Blaine almost turned around and left. It was dark and a little sleazy looking but Sebastian grabbed his hand and pulled him to the bar. Blaine didn’t even question how they got in without being carded or how he got a drink in his hand but took a long swig of the beer regardless.   
  
Sebastian was leaning close to him and speaking but with the loud music and alcohol, it was difficult to understand.   
  
“You see along me. Cold all,” Sebastian whispered into his ear, handing him another drink (his third?). “Let move.”  
  
With the tug towards the dance floor Blaine understood and laughed. Sebastian leaned over to the bar, handed him a shot and they both downed one before hurrying to the near empty floor.  
  
The beat of the music thudded heavily in his head as the alcohol began to really sink in. He found himself becoming unsteady and staggered back, falling against a solid chest.  
  
“Be wary,” Sebastian whispered, pressing up against his back. He placed his hands on his hips and held him steady as they moved to the beat.   
  
Blaine stared up at the disco lights and felt everything spin around him. He moaned very softly and his head fell back onto Sebastian’s shoulder. He could feel the other boy’s chest move slightly with laughter and then felt an unwelcome pair of lips briefly touch his neck before they were suddenly ripped away.  
  
He could hear someone yelling behind him and felt another pair of strong arms grab onto him, keeping him upright.   
  
“Are you safe?” The new voice asked in his ear, brushing his hair back. Blaine wasn’t able to respond, suddenly feeling so out of control. He couldn’t see, couldn’t understand what anyone was saying, and his body felt so wrong.   
  
The person steered him out of the bar and they helped him into a car. His head instantly fell back against the seat and he stared up at the spinning ceiling of the car.  
  
“Blaine?” He tried to turn his head to the voice but his body wasn’t cooperating. “Blaine. You’re okay.”  
  
He closed his eyes against the spinning and then felt nothing.  
  
~*~  
  
Kurt moaned and opened his eyes at the sudden blast of his ringtone. He glanced at the clock, frowning when he saw that it was almost two, and answered his phone.  
  
“Hello?” He mumbled, voice hoarse with sleep.   
  
“Kurt? Hey, it’s Dave,” Dave’s voice broke through some of the sleep and he sat up.   
  
“Um…hey?”  
  
“Okay, so did you know where your boyfriend was going to be tonight?” Dave asked, sounding awkward and uncomfortable.   
  
“Nowhere, he was just going to stay in,” Kurt leaned against his headboard and tried to suppress a yawn.   
  
“Oh…so you didn’t know that he was going out to Scandals?”  
  
“The gay club?” Kurt sat up a little straighter.   
  
“So I was there with Leo and we saw these two guys on the dance floor. I recognized one of them as Blaine and had no idea who the other guy was. I don’t like to get involved in this stuff but Blaine looked off. He was completely wasted and this creep had his hands all over him. When Blaine started to collapse and the guy started to kiss him we stepped in. Kurt, Blaine was so out of it. He is currently passed out on my couch.” Dave sighed.   
  
“Is he okay?” Kurt clenched his phone with both hands.   
  
“He’s fine besides the hell of a hangover he’s going to have tomorrow. Kurt, I don’t know who the hell this guy is but I gave him a lovely black eye. He was saying all this stuff to Blaine…really sexual stuff…knowing that he couldn’t understand,” Dave’s voice was tight with fury. “Blaine clearly had no idea what was going on and he was so scared as we getting him out of the club.”  
  
“What’s your address?” Kurt jumped up. “I’m coming over.”  
  
“Kurt, he’s completely passed out. Leo and I are staying up to make sure he doesn’t choke on his own vomit and die but there is no reason for you to drive out here in the middle of the night,” He said gently. “We’ll take good care of him and we’ll give you a call when he wakes up.”  
  
After a few more reassuring comments Dave finally hung up and left Kurt staring at his phone.  
  
Emotions rose up and threatened to choke him. He was terrified that Blaine was out and in danger. He was confused why Blaine went out. He was angry that Blaine was out with another guy.   
  
Kurt had no idea why his boyfriend was out with strange men and to be honest he was more than a little upset. Gritting his teeth, Kurt jumped up and got dressed. He was talking to Blaine tonight


	22. Chapter 22

It only took six more phone calls for Dave to break down and tell Kurt where he lived and fifteen minutes for him to show up at his front door.  
  
“He’s still pretty out of it,” Dave warned as he led the other boy into his house. “He puked a few minutes ago so he should be feeling a little better now.”  
  
Blaine was curled up on the couch under an old Star Wars comforter that had clearly belonged to Dave when he was a kid. He was pale and sweaty, curls clinging to his forehead.   
  
“Kurt?” He moaned when Kurt brushed his hair back.   
  
“Hey you,” Kurt whispered, smiling faintly. “You look like crap.”  
  
Blaine coughed weakly, his entire body shaking and Kurt was shoved aside as Leo thrust a wastebasket under his chin. He whimpered and shook as he threw up bile before collapsing forward.  
  
“You really did a number on yourself,” Kurt frowned, taking a wet washcloth from Dave and wiping his face.   
  
“Sorry, so sorry,” Blaine stared up at his boyfriend with wide, glassy eyes. “Sorry Kurt.”  
  
“It’s okay,” Kurt shushed him. “We’ll talk in the morning.”  
  
Blaine mumbled and few more times before his eyes slid closed and he curled up under the comforter.   
  
“So, tell me what happened,” Kurt turned to look at the other boys. Dave and Leo gave each other quick glances before Dave sighed.   
  
“Kurt, I told you earlier,” Dave rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
“Blaine would not go out like that,” Kurt frowned. “I need to know every detail.”  
  
“Fine,” Dave shot a quick glance over at Leo who was just staring at his shoes. “Okay so we went to Scandles for the night to dance and drink and whatnot. Then we saw these two guys come in and they looked about our age so I looked a little harder. I didn’t recognize the tall one but saw that the smaller guy was Blaine.”  
  
“What did the tall guy look like?” Kurt asked icily.   
  
“He was really thin,” Leo spoke up from by the couch. “Good looking, shit-eating grin, striped polo with the collar popped up. Kind of looked like a douche.”  
  
“Pretty much,” Dave agreed. “I didn’t want to get involved in whatever was going on in case I wasn’t seeing it right. Then Leo and I got a little distracted…by…anyway, then they went to the dance floor. I noticed that the douche was dancing a little too intimately with Blaine.”  
  
Both boys winced as Kurt let out a small growl.   
  
“Okay, so he started getting a little handsy and was saying some…things…so we moved a little closer. Then we realized that Blaine was completely wasted and this guy was making a move on him. So I punched him in the face and we helped Blaine back to the car,” Dave finished, glancing over at the passed out Blaine.  
  
“What did he say?” Kurt snarled, hands clenched. “This guy, what did say to Blaine?”  
  
“Kurt,” Dave sighed. “It’s probably better if I don’t tell you. It was a little vulgar…”  
  
“Tell. Me. Exactly. What. He. Said.” Kurt ground out and Dave swallowed thickly.   
  
“Okay. He was saying how…hot he thought Blaine was. The guy started saying things like how he wanted to have sex with him and went into great detail about how. I remember he said ‘I knew the moment I got you away from your prude of a boyfriend that you would become a little slut,’” Dave winced.   
  
After taking a sharp breath, Kurt closed his eyes and ground his teeth. Sebastian. He should have seen it from the beginning and now it felt like his chest was caving in on itself.   
  
“I know who it is,” Kurt whispered, leaning back against the couch.   
  
“Blaine was saying no,” Leo said softly.   
  
“I know,” Kurt looked over at his boyfriend.   
  
“We’re going to sleep,” Dave hooked a thumb over his shoulder and stood. “The guest room is right down the hall if you want to sleep.”  
  
“I’ll stay out here with Blaine,” Kurt smiled. “Thank you both so much.”  
  
They left quietly and Kurt rested his head down on the couch cushion by Blaine’s leg. It took only moments before he fell asleep.   
  
Light was barely breaking over the roofs when Kurt was suddenly woken up by the sound of his boyfriend retching into the trashcan by the couch.   
  
“Shh,” Kurt shushed him gently, rubbing his back.   
  
“What?” Blaine muttered, squinting up at Kurt.  
  
“You had the bright idea to go off and get wasted last night,” Kurt smiled warmly, trying to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach.   
  
“Sebastian,” Blaine closed his eyes, face going pale.   
  
“I’ve heard,” Kurt said in a clipped tone. “It’s okay though. I’m not mad.”  
  
Blaine stiffened under the hand on his back and glanced back at his boyfriend. With another reassuring smile Blaine jerked so that his hand slid off his back.   
  
“No,” Blaine sat up, shaking his head and wincing.   
  
“No? I understand Blaine, Sebastian tricked you,” Kurt continued but suddenly Blaine let out a shout and shoved him hard.   
  
“No understanding,” Blaine snarled, eyes flashing furiously. “No! So tired. So tired Kurt. Sebastian act like not broken. Treat me like not opposite. You do! You treat me like I’m apart. Like I’m falling.”  
  
“Blaine, please,” Kurt whispered.   
  
“No! No! No!” Blaine covered his ears and screamed suddenly. “Don’t hear. You don’t hear me. Always act like all together but not. I’m not same. You’re not same. No make it better. Stop.”  
  
Kurt sat in silence as Blaine glared darkly at his boyfriend, eyes cold in his pale face.   
  
“I’m tired Kurt,” Blaine whispered. “I’m tired not being listened. I hurt. I hurt always. No more pretending. I’m sorry but no more.”  
  
Kurt swallowed thickly and gently took Blaine’s hand.   
  
“SHOUT!” Blaine screamed. “Be mad. Be upset. Shout!”  
  
“I’m not going to yell Blaine,” Kurt smiled shakily. “I love you and I’m here for you.”   
  
“I hate you.”  
  
The silence following the sentence was deafening and Blaine was absolutely white. He began to shake slightly and just stared at his boyfriend.   
  
“Blaine…” Kurt whispered.   
  
“I hate you. I hate this,” Blaine continued, voice raising. “Go. Go away. Leave alone. Get. Out.”  
  
Kurt sat in silence, tears gathering in his eyes.   
  
“GO!” Blaine shouted shrilly, shoving Kurt hard until he fell backwards. “I understand now. Don’t want to bother anymore. Go. Away.”  
  
Kurt stood and hovered uncomfortably for a long moment before Blaine shoved him again. With a soft sob, Kurt spun on his heel and fled from the house.   
  
Tears blurred his vision as he heard the sound of a car engine revving and driving away. Blaine took in a shuddering breath and suddenly felt like the air was too stifling in the house. He let out a sob before rushing out of the house and into the chilly morning.   
  
He had no idea where he was and couldn’t read the street signs but he couldn’t stay still for a moment longer. Head pounding and stomach churning from the hangover, Blaine simply walked.   
  
Blaine loved Kurt. That was simple but everything else was complicated. Kurt treated him like a child most of the time, not letting him go anywhere by himself and holding his hand through everything. He hated feeling like a feeble, brain damaged kid and even though Kurt was supportive he clearly had issues letting him go.   
  
He was done.   
  
Hanging out with Sebastian was a mistake and Blaine knew it. He felt horrible for what had happened but he couldn’t help being around the other boy. Sebastian treated him like his old self and even though he was only doing it to take advantage of his condition, it was nice for a while.   
  
The cold was beginning to seep through Blaine’s thin shirt and he shivered, glancing around at his surroundings. He began to recognize some of the buildings and knew that he was getting close to his home.   
  
As much as he wanted to move to New York with Kurt he couldn’t do it like this. He couldn’t do it feeling like a burden that Kurt had to take care of forever. With the way he was currently going with his recovery, his dream of being a teacher was slipping away. Looking at his condition honestly he would be lucky if he was able to wash dishes in a restaurant.   
  
Hell, maybe he could be a janitor in a school. That was close.   
  
The sun had risen to almost the middle of the sky when he found himself at his house. Without hesitating, Blaine stepped through the door and kicked off his muddy shoes.   
  
“Oh my God Blaine!” His mother cried out. He knew that he looked horrible with his messy, vomit stained clothes and deep circles under his eyes.   
  
He simply glanced at her before making his way up the stairs and into his room, shutting the door and locking it.   
  
It was like he was on autopilot as he changed into a t-shirt and pajama pants and curled up under his comforter, trying to block out his concerned parents on the other side of the door.   
  
Tie meowed softly at him, jumping up on his bed and trying to nose her way under his comforter. With a huff, Blaine shoved her off of the bed and heard her hiss as she thudded against the floor and ran off to a corner.   
  
He finally let himself dissolve into sobs and covered his face. He was so tired of trying to be optimistic. He was so tired of everyone around him cheering him on. He just needed someone to be honest.   
  
Most likely, he wasn’t getting much better.


	23. Chapter 23

The realization that he wasn’t getting better was actually incredibly relieving.   
  
It was like a storm inside of him had passed and was left with an eerie stillness. He still dutifully followed his worried parents to appointments but made no attempt to work in them. The moment Blaine got home he instantly went to lock himself in his room.   
  
The days crawled by and Blaine spent most of them curled up in bed sleeping or watching the minutes tick by on his clock. He refused to speak to anyone, completely ignoring Kurt when he came over.   
  
To say that everyone was worried was an understatement.   
  
It was like the light had been snuffed out in Blaine. He tried desperately to look at what lay before him and realized that nothing could work. The accident had taken so much more than communication from him and Blaine honestly couldn’t find a way to go around it.   
  
He was just tired. He was tired of watching all his friends move along without him. He was tired of being taken care of constantly. He was tired of going to appointment after appointment with little to no improvement. He was tired of waiting for something that was never going to happen.   
  
The exhaustion weighed heavily on Blaine and he did nothing but sleep for a couple weeks. He would lay curled up on his bed until his worried mother desperately tried to get him to eat.   
  
His afternoon nap was disrupted by a soft knock and he looked up to see Wes smiling softly at him from the doorway. It had been a long time since Wes was able to visit his old friend and his heart dropped at little at how run down Blaine looked.   
  
A small smile quirked at Blaine’s lips and he waved the other boy in.   
  
“Hey there!” Wes sat down on the other end of the bed, trying to ignore the messy room around him.   
  
“Hi,” Blaine replied, feeling a little more comfortable.   
  
“You could be bore right?” Wes said with a laugh and Blaine winced at the reminder. “Sorry. I’ve busy.”  
  
“I know,” Blaine whispered. “Thank you for coming though.”  
  
Scratching at the back of his head, Wes turned face Blaine on the bed. He gently took Blaine’s hands in his own and leaned forward until he was looking in his friend’s eyes.  
  
“How you?” He asked softly, looking concerned.   
  
“Good,” Blaine replied. Wes didn’t return his faked smile and Blaine knew what he could see. He knew he had lost weight, he knew that he had dark circles under his eyes, he knew that he looked horrible.   
  
“Kurt are scared. We all,” Wes continued. “You’re change.”  
  
“Surprised?” Blaine gave him a tight lipped smile. “It wasn’t just me, everything changed. I just don’t think that I can keep up anymore.”  
  
Wes might not have understood what he said but the tone was clear and caused him to tighten his grip on his friend’s hands.   
  
“I’m sorry Wes,” Blaine whispered, finally saying what he had been thinking for a long time. “I don’t think I can do this.”  
  
There was a beat of silence before Wes jumped up and hurried to his bathroom. Blaine froze in the doorway when he rushed after his friend.   
  
Wes was emptying pill bottles into the toilet and flushing them as well as removing extra blades from his razors. Instantly, Blaine felt his knees give out and he sunk down the door frame until he was sitting on the floor.   
  
He watched as Wes ripped through the medicine cabinet, throwing away almost everything and pouring cleaning chemicals down the drain. By the last bottle there were tears streaming down both boy’s faces and Wes stormed out into his bedroom.   
  
Turning around slowly Blaine watched as Wes stuffed all of his belts and ties into his bag. He finally reacted with a sharp, loud cry when Wes reached for the tie that was secured to his bed post.  
  
He flung himself at the Dalton tie, twisting his fingers into it and pulled it to his chest. Wes caught Blaine as he collapsed backwards and continued holding him as they landed on the floor.   
  
“Shh,” Wes whispered in his ear, voice catching as he rocked his friend. “Okay. You’re okay. Please no. Don’t do that.”  
  
Blaine nodded, tears still streaming down his face as he rubbed his thumb over the worn silk of the tie.   
  
“Please speak me,” Wes continued holding him tightly. “Just speak.”  
  
And he did.  
  
For hours Blaine just talked. He rambled all about his doubts and fears, about his hopes, about how much he hated his condition. And through every tearful confession that spilled past his lips Wes was right there just listening and holding him.   
  
When Blaine finally fell asleep, exhausted from crying, Wes carefully reached for his cell phone and thumbed through it until he got to Kurt’s number.   
  
“Hello?” Kurt’s voice sounded loud in the silent room.   
  
“Hey Kurt, it’s Wes,” He winced at how scratchy his voice was. “I’m at Blaine’s.”  
  
“If everything okay?” Kurt asked and tears pricked at his eyes as he looked around at the bag of ties and razors.  
  
“No.”   
  
Kurt was there in less than ten minutes.   
  
He took two steps at a time until he reached Blaine’s room and looked in cautiously. Wes was still sitting on the floor holding a sleeping Blaine against his chest. Tear tracks stained both boy’s cheeks and Wes’s eyes were red rimmed as he looked up at him.   
  
“What happened?” Kurt asked softly, kneeling down next to them.   
  
“I got scared,” Kurt’s heart picked up at how shaky the normally put together boy sounded. “He started talking and then he started sounding like he was ready to…give up.”  
  
“What do you mean?” He asked. Then the room itself began to clue him in. He saw the open bag full of ties and packages of razors on the floor and his breathing picked up. “Oh God…did you find him…”  
  
“No, he wasn’t actually trying but he was talking about it,” Wes gently smoothed him thumb over Blaine’s shoulder. “It really freaked me out.”  
  
“Oh,” Kurt felt his chest seize up. “He has been acting strange for the past couple of days. I knew that he was having some trouble dealing with what happened but I never considered that he felt like this.”  
  
Both boys stared at Blaine in silence for a few long minutes before Kurt sighed.   
  
“Wes, can I have some time alone with my boyfriend please?” He asked softly.   
  
“Not to be mean Kurt…but this didn’t go so well last time,” Wes hesitated.   
  
“Please Wes, I really need to talk to him,” Kurt really couldn’t blame him and smiled when Wes nodded carefully, nudging Blaine awake. At first sight of Kurt, Blaine shrunk down a little but waited for his boyfriend to speak when Wes stepped outside.   
  
“I’m sorry Blaine,” Kurt scooted forwards so that their knees touched. “I’m so sorry. I want to hear what you have to say. I do and I’m sorry that I’ve been so obsessed with the sound of my own voice that I didn’t let you talk.”  
  
He reached forward to cup Blaine’s cheek and pull him into a sweet kiss.  
  
“I want to hear you. I don’t ever, ever want you to feel this way because…God I don’t know what I would do without you,” Kurt pressed a hand to his mouth to muffle a sob. “Please tell me what is going on.”  
  
“I just…I’m not better,” Blaine touched his chest. “I’m going stuck here. Never be better never be more. So, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you stuck with broken boyfriend.”  
  
“Oh sweetheart,” Kurt pressed their foreheads together. “That doesn’t matter to me. You are such an amazingly talented, kind person that you can do whatever you want. Now it may be a little bit tougher but that’s okay. I love you and no matter what I am so proud of you. Don’t you for a second think that I’m ashamed of you because I can’t think of another person stronger than you.”  
  
“Sorry Sebastian,” Blaine whispered.  
  
“It’s fine, it’s not your fault,” Kurt said then let out a small smile. “He’s been avoiding Warbler practice but I’m planning on chatting with him soon.”  
  
“I want drive car,” Blaine spoke up. “I have test.”  
  
“Okay! We can practice for your driving test!” Kurt said excitedly. “I just want to help Blaine. Maybe I’m going about it wrong but I just want you to be happy.”  
  
“You make happy,” Blaine whispered, tangling their fingers together.   
  
~*~  
  
“Hey there,” Kurt called out as soon as he saw the familiar lean figure walking alone down the hallway of Dalton. “Good of you to match your eye with the blazer.”  
  
Sebastian froze and slowly turned, trademark smirk in place. The deep bruise seemed to pain him slightly which made Kurt feel a little better.   
  
“Hey there Kurt,” Sebastian asked, voice sounding like oil. “How’s Blaine? He wasn’t doing too well last time I saw him?”  
  
“You mean when you got him wasted so you could take advantage of him?” Kurt worked hard to not let his voice tremble with rage. “He’s well. How come you’ve been missing Warbler practice and slinking around the halls after hours to avoid us?”  
  
“My interests have been drawn somewhere else,” The tall boy shrugged.   
  
“Hmm…I can see how trying to have sex with boys unable to give consent would be more impressive on a resume than show choir,” Kurt’s eyes hardened.  
  
“Blaine had plenty of opportunity to say no,” Sebastian smirked wider. “He seemed perfectly willing when we were grinding on the dance floor. Never said anything to indicate otherwise.”  
  
“And because he has a brain injury that prevents him from communicating that means that you have a green light?” Kurt took a few steps forward and Sebastian’s eyes widened but didn’t move.   
  
“Let’s be honest here Kurt,” Sebastian’s smirk grew nasty. “Blaine will probably not ever get better. Not many jobs are looking for someone with such low ability to communicate. So, he can make use of his other…assets if you will…and I’m not sure if you are the one to best appreciate them.”  
  
Only a heartbeat passed before Kurt had thrown himself on the other boy. The next few minutes were a haze and he was still throwing punches as Jeff and Nick pulled him off, having heard the commotion from down the hall.   
  
“If you ever, ever come near my boyfriend again I swear to God that I will fuck you up!” Kurt screamed shrilly, kicking out at the bleeding, gasping Sebastian on the floor.   
  
“Keep your crippled retard of a boyfriend Kurt,” Sebastian sneered as he spat out blood.   
  
“Get out Sebastian,” Nick growled over his shoulder as they struggled to get Kurt into the Warbler’s practice room. “You are no longer welcome in the Warblers. Don’t come back you son of a bitch.”   
  
“I don’t plan to,” The other boy shouted as the door slammed shut.


	24. Chapter 24

The repetitive pounding of his shoes on pavement was soothing.   
  
Before the attack Blaine wasn’t much of a runner. However, boredom had convinced him to give it a try and now he ran several miles a day.   
  
The steady beat from his iPod matched the steps he took and he turned a corner. He used to have to run in the early morning to beat the heat but the sight of kids his age leaving for school always made him feel a little uncomfortable.   
  
Now he was able to start later and the calm quiet of the neighborhoods was so much better. The song switched and he slowly to a walk, placing his hands on his hips and panting.   
  
“Excuse?” A voice called out making Blaine take out his earphones and look behind him. “I’m lost. Know Rosebud?”  
  
A young man was leaning slightly out of the window of his car, smiling sheepishly at Blaine.   
  
“Yeah, go two roads down and turn left,” Blaine responded without thinking.   
  
“Thanks so much!” The man called out, rolling up his window and driving off.   
  
Blaine took a few more steps before the past few minutes caught up with him.  
  
He had just had a conversation with a complete stranger and it was perfect. Blaine not only helped the man but his condition was not obvious at all.   
  
A wide smile spread across his face and he ran slightly faster than before. A busy Starbucks caught his eye and he stopped, staring at the coffee shop.   
  
After a moment of hesitation, Blaine stepped into the building and made his way to the back of the line.   
  
God what if I blank. What if what I say makes no sense. I don’t have anyone to help me if I can’t communicate. I’m going to sound like such an idiot. Maybe I should wait a little while before doing this on my own.   
  
“What can I get you sir?”   
  
“A medium drip please,” Blaine said automatically, heat pounding in his chest.   
  
The girl smiled, wrote his order down on a cup and took his credit card. Blaine took his coffee with shaking hands and made his way outside. As soon as he stepped into the fresh air and took his first sip of coffee a huge grin spread across his face.   
  
Although he probably looked like a complete idiot he didn’t care.   
  
~*~  
  
“God I feel like we haven’t seen each other in months!” Rachel beamed, wrapping her arm around Kurt’s.   
  
“I’ve been so busy with school,” Kurt sighed, smiling at her and Mercedes. It really had been too long since his last shopping trip with his friends. Although it took some convincing, Kurt was so grateful the Glee girls had made him go.   
  
“When are you going to transfer back to McKinley?” Santana asked as she munched down on a sweet pretzel.   
  
“I like Dalton,” Kurt replied, looking at the shop directory.   
  
“But…Karofsky’s gone and Blaine isn’t there anymore,” Tina said softly.   
  
“I know,” He sighed. “But it’s a good school and it’s nice to have the support from the Warblers. If I went back it would feel like I was…betraying Blaine or something. I know it doesn’t make sense but if I stay then I feel like he’s going to come back. If I leave then it’s like I’ve given up on him.”  
  
“Let’s hit Forever 21,” Quinn said, earning a grateful look from Kurt.   
  
The next hour was spent trying to decide what tiny dress looked best on Santana (Brittany thought all of them did), which fun hair piece was best for Tina and getting Rachel away from anything with an animal on it.   
  
Stress from a barrage of tests and papers began to melt away and Kurt found himself really enjoying his friend’s company. They chattered on about New Directions gossip and college plans.   
  
“Let’s go to Jared,” Santana said as they were looking at the store directory again. “I need to go look at sparkly things.”  
  
As soon as they stepped into the store the girls hovered around the pendants and extravagant bracelets, leaving Kurt to wander over to the men’s section.   
  
He found himself looking through the rings when one caught his eye and he froze in his tracks.   
  
It was a simple darker band surrounded by a silver band and a single diamond in the middle. It shimmered in the lit case and completely took his breath away.   
  
“You’re looking at the Triton?” A young woman walked up to him. “It’s beautiful.”  
  
“It is,” Kurt muttered. “Can I see it?”  
  
She took the ring out of the case and placed it on the velvet pad. Kurt picked it up and felt something fall into place.   
  
This was the ring he pictured on Blaine’s hand when he rubbed their child’s back when they were sad. This was the ring he pictured rubbing with his own fingers as old men. This was the ring he pictured on Blaine’s hand as he took his hands at the alter.  
  
“You seem awful young to be looking at rings,” The woman, Ashley according to her nametag, smiled.   
  
“It’s for my boyfriend,” Kurt looked at her and felt a rush of relief when she kept smiling.   
  
“How sweet,” Ashley grinned.   
  
“You know, as cheesy as it is, he’s my forever,” Kurt found himself smiling like a fool. “I love him.”  
  
He didn’t often allow himself to gush about his relationship but he found himself unable to help it.  
  
“How long have you two been dating?” Ashley asked, eyes bright. “I’m sorry if I’m prying. I think they have me work the rings because I’m a sucker for a good romance story.”  
  
“About a year now,” Kurt laughed at the expression on her face. “I know…I know. It sounds silly that I’m thinking so far into the future especially since we’re so young.”  
  
“A little,” She smiled. “So why him?”   
  
“A couple of months after we started dating Blaine was hurt,” Kurt felt his throat tighten. “Some asshole…sorry…decided that being gay was punishable by death and beat him into a coma with a tire iron.”  
  
“Oh God!” Ashley covered her mouth with her hand.  
  
“When he woke up it was clear that he had brain damage. He has Wernickes’ aphasia which means that he can’t understand language or communicate. It was devastating but he’s been so strong and has started making improvements. He has inspired me to become a music therapist and I love him more than anything.”  
  
“Wow,” Her eyes were wide. “I’m so sorry. He’s doing alright now though?”  
  
“He’s getting better. We’re hoping that in a year or so he can join me in college in New York,” Kurt slid his finger over the cool band.   
  
“I think I might be able to get you some discounts on this,” She finally said after a long pause. “There’s a family discount and I’m sure I can find another one.”  
  
“Oh, no,” Kurt shook his head. “I don’t need it. I was just looking.”  
  
“Honey,” Ashley lay her hand over his. “Stop looking. You’ve found it.”  
  
Then she rushed off to the back room, leaving Kurt with the ring. A rush of doubt hit him and for a moment he contemplated running out the door before she could come back.   
  
“Okay,” Quinn stepped up to the counter with him. “Santana has picked out two years worth of presents. Ready to head out?”   
  
Then her eyes zeroed in on what he was holding.  
  
“Oh my God,” Her mouth fell open. “A ring? You’re getting a ring!”  
  
“Wait!” Rachel ran up. “You’re proposing to Blaine?”  
  
Instantly all of the girls rushed up to him and shrieked.   
  
“Okay!” Kurt laughed, leaning away from them. “I’m not proposing yet.”  
  
“But you want to?” Tina asked, grinning.   
  
“Yes,” Kurt winced as they all screamed, drawing stares from other customers. “I’ve been thinking about it for a long time but I’m not going to do it under he can fully understand me.”  
  
“Holy Shit,” Santana gasped and grabbed at the ring. “Your boy is going to have some nice bling.”  
  
“Okay!” Ashley walked back with some paperwork. “I managed to get the family discount and got the price down to one hundred and seven dollars and ninety-nine cents.”  
  
“I’ve seen you spend more on shoes,” Mercedes broke in, smile stretched across her face.   
  
Kurt rolled his eyes and handed over his credit card.   
  
“If you tell anyone I will kill you,” He said as Ashley placed the ring into the little white box.  
  
The box felt unbearably heavy in Kurt’s pocket throughout the day. He dropped the girls off with promises of telling them when he was going to do it.   
  
Heart pounding, Kurt drove to the Anderson’s to pick up Blaine for their date night. He sat in the driveway for just a moment before his boyfriend rushed him, chattering a mile a minute.  
  
“I did!” Blaine was radiating happiness. “I spoke to directions and got a medium drip.”  
  
“Really?” Kurt found his smile contagious.   
  
“Yes! It’s better!” He looked close to tears and was nodding furiously.   
  
“Oh Blaine,” Kurt hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to his temple. The feeling of Blaine’s smile against his neck made him far more aware of the ring box in his pocket.   
  
Not today. Today was about Blaine and his accomplishment. 


	25. Chapter 25

Kurt was always very proud of how mature his boyfriend was.   
  
However, this was not one of those times.  
  
For some reason Blaine found it completely necessary to dance along to bad 90’s pop music as he cleaned out his closet. Every so often he would stop swaying and would scrutinize an article of clothing before tossing it in the keep or throw away pile.   
  
He tried to stifle a laugh when Blaine did a hip swivel to the Backstreet Boys song. His boyfriend shot a quick grin over his shoulder and threw the lavender button up in the throw away pile.   
  
“Hey!” Kurt jumped up. “Try it on.”  
  
Rolling his eyes, Blaine let Kurt tug off his t-shirt and took the button up. Kurt smiled encouragingly, pleased to see that the lavender was a good color on him.   
  
Kurt laughed and tried to get the shirt on Blaine but he was dancing too spastically. Soon both boys found themselves in fits of giggles as they tried to get the shirt on.   
  
The huge grin fell slightly off Kurt’s face when he brushed his fingers against the rough texture of a scar. A dark line ran the length of Blaine’s hip and several other marks covered his torso.   
  
“Hey,” Blaine gently laid a hand over Kurt’s.   
  
“I’m sorry,” He whispered, not sure what he was apologizing for. Kurt traced his fingertip along the scar, frowning.   
  
“Me too,” Blaine nodded.   
  
“I still have nightmares,” Kurt’s voice caught making Blaine look up. “I have nightmares all the time about you being hurt. I dream that you don’t wake up or that your mom calls me to tell me that you didn’t make it.”  
  
He cut off to take in a trembling breath.   
  
“I’m here,” Blaine pressed their foreheads together.   
  
“Thank god,” Kurt laughed tearfully.   
  
“Sometimes dream too,” He continued, tightening his grip on Kurt’s fingers. “Dream that it is you. Dream that he hurt you. I see you bleeding and I want die.”  
  
“Blaine…”   
  
“Happy it was me,” Blaine said firmly.   
  
It was like he had been punched in the gut.   
  
“If anyone, me,” His fingers traced his scar next to Kurt’s.  
  
Instantly Kurt threw his arms around Blaine’s neck, holding him close. He pressed a kiss to Blaine’s temple and they just held each other, standing among the piles of clothes.   
  
“Don’t you dare say those things,” Kurt whispered over and over again.  
  
“No guilt,” Blaine said into Kurt’s hair and he nodded.   
  
“Okay,” Kurt kissed him again. “I promise.”  
  
“Now we’re just moving on. We’re going to college, New York, forever,” Blaine whispered, smiling faintly. “We’re forever.”  
  
The ring that rested in his messenger bag sprung to mind and Kurt’s whole body tensed.   
  
“Yes,” Kurt kissed him fiercely. “Marry me?”  
  
Blaine hummed softly and leaned back smiling. The lack of recognition stole Kurt’s breath for a moment and he just smiled back.   
  
“Again?” Blaine cocked his head to the side.   
  
“It’s nothing. It’s not important,” Shaking his head, Kurt moved back to help Blaine button up his shirt. “I like this shirt. Keep it.”  
  
“Okay,” Blaine nodded, looking at himself in the mirror.  
  
“You look very handsome,” Kurt grinned and placed his chin on his boyfriend’s shoulder.   
  
~*~  
  
Warbler practice went by so much smoother now that Sebastian was gone.   
  
Since sectionals was coming up the Warblers were hard at work trying to make up a set list. They spent most of their time crossing out song ideas and calling out suggestions.   
  
“I’ve got it!” Trent sat up grinning. “Let’s do a homage to Motown!”   
  
“You suggest that every time and we always say no,” Wes replied and sighed. “Damn, I need another sheet of paper.”  
  
“Here,” Kurt handed over his bag, writing down ideas on his own pad of paper.   
  
There was a long moment of silence before Wes let out a choked gasp that led to a series of violent coughs.   
  
“Kurt!” Wes held up the small white box with huge eyes. “Is this…”  
  
“Are you going to propose?” Nick shouted making every Warbler whip their heads around.   
  
Absolute chaos erupted in the room as every person tried to get a look at the ring.   
  
“Okay!” Kurt held his hands up. “I am going to propose to Blaine. However, I want to wait until he can completely understand me…”  
  
He was interrupted by a chorus of aws.   
  
“So please, please don’t say anything,” Kurt finished.   
  
“Oh my god! Maybe we can do some kind of performance proposal for him,” Jeff clapped his hands. “We can sing for him and…”  
  
“No,” Kurt shook his head sharply. “Never. Not after the Gap fiasco. No.”  
  
Jeff deflated and sat back against the couch.   
  
“I so knew you and Blaine were going to get married,” David was grinning widely. “Move to New York together and adopt a million babies.”  
  
“God!” Kurt laughed, shaking his head as several Warblers sighed happily. “You all are worse than the girls of New Directions.”  
  
“Kurt, we saw both of you at your worst,” Wes’s eyes softened. “When Blaine first came to Dalton we all tried to get him out of the dark place he was in. You came here and you were miserable. You helped each other and I’m convinced you saved each other.”  
  
“Dude, it’s like we were watching a Lifetime movie but with better actors,” Trent piped up.   
  
“Thank you for ruining that beautiful moment Trent,” Wes sighed.   
  
The rest of the meeting turned into the Warblers shouting out ideas for the wedding. Kurt drew the line when the blazers were suggested as groomsmen attire.  
  
“We are going to fight New Directions to sing at your wedding,” Wes announced. “But we can plan that set list later.”  
  
Warblers practice ended early since no one was able to focus and Kurt drove home after making them all swear that they wouldn’t say a word. He found himself smiling the entire ride home before he realized that pretty much everyone knew except a few important people.   
  
His family.   
  
At the though of telling his family Kurt could have slapped himself. Of course the first people he could have told of his intentions should have been his dad, Carole, and Finn.   
  
After planning out several ways of telling them and scratching out several of the most theatrical ones he decided just to spring it on them. Finn’s short attention span wouldn’t be able to handle much of a build up anyway.  
  
“Just in time Kurt!” Carole called out as he stepped in the front door. “I just finished up dinner.”  
  
“Wonderful,” Kurt replied, feeling his hands begin to shake.   
  
“We’re having pork chops, rice, and green beans,” His dad said as he placed the last plate on the table. “Sit down.”  
  
Finn gave him a little wave from where he was ripping his roll apart at the end of the table. As they began to dig into their food Kurt sat and poked at his beans.  
  
“Kurt what’s…” Carole began, noticing her step-son’s unusual quietness.   
  
“I bought a ring!” Kurt burst out. “I bought a ring for Blaine!”  
  
Okay…so maybe he was thinking that he would have made the announcement more gracefully.   
  
“Ring?” Finn frowned. “What kind of ring…a Nuva ring? Rachel was telling me about those. Oh my God is Blaine pregnant?”  
  
“Blaine is male Finn he can’t get pregnant. Also why would I get birth control for him if he was pregnant?” Kurt asked and Finn visibly relaxed. “No, I meant an engagement ring. I’m going to propose.”  
  
“Oh Kurt!” Carole screamed, clapping her hands. “That’s amazing!”   
  
“Why are you the one who proposes? Did you guys flip a coin or something?” Finn still looked confused but leaned over to take a look at the ring when Kurt handed it to a teary Carole.   
  
“Shh Finn,” Carole wiped at her tears. “When are you going to do it?”  
  
“Soon,” Kurt’s heart felt like it was going to burst. “I want us to get married when Blaine gets to New York.”  
  
Carole continued to coo over the ring and Finn nodded along with what she was saying. Smiling, Kurt turned his head to see his father watching him carefully. Burt’s eyes were filled with shimmering tears and a small smile quirked at his lips.   
  
Carole thankfully picked up on the fact that her husband wanted some time alone with her son and dragged Finn into the kitchen despite the taller boy’s protests.  
  
“Dad?” Kurt asked softly, throat tight. “You haven’t said anything. Are you mad at me?”  
  
“Kurt, no I’m not mad,” Burt shook his head and smiled down at his plate. “I guess I’m just surprised. You just turned eighteen.”  
  
“If you’re saying I’m too young you’re wrong!” Kurt exploded, eyes wide. “I love Blaine! More than I ever thought was possible and I’m going to marry him no matter what.”  
  
“Hey hey hey!” Burt threw his hands up. “I’m not telling you not to marry him. I know you love Blaine. I love Blaine and am thrilled to have him as a son in law one day. It’s just…hard knowing that my little boy bought an engagement ring.”  
  
“I’ve picked out engagement rings before,” Kurt smiled faintly and was rewarded with a chuckle.   
  
“For your stuffed animals,” His father grinned. “Seriously thought, I’m going to need to loose weight for the wedding.”  
  
“If you give us a singing fish for our wall I wont bring our kids to visit,” Kurt warned and a huge smile spread across his dad’s face.  
  
“Kids?” Burt asked softly. “So, grandbabies eventually?”  
  
“Yes,” Kurt’s face hurt from smiling so much. “There will be grandbabies that you can take fishing and to sports games.”  
  
Burt took off his hat and rubbed at the back of his head, eyes flashing with happy tears.


	26. Chapter 26

Kurt had to bite his lips to stop from laughing at Blaine who was bobbing his head to the bad coffee shop jazz music. It still filled his chest with pride every time Blaine orders his own coffee, growing more confident.   
  
“Need some coffee with that sugar?” Kurt asked teasingly as his boyfriend poured a steady stream of sugar into the cup. “God Blaine!”  
  
“Blaine Anderson?” A sneering voice broke through their laughter. “I thought I recognized you.”  
  
The smile slid off of Blaine’s face. Two boys and a girl smiled nastily at him, looming behind them and blocking off his path of escape.   
  
“Who are you?” Kurt asked, eyes growing hard.   
  
“Aw I’m hurt,” The taller of the two boys put a hand to his chest. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Pete, Blaine’s best friend since kindergarten, this is Monica and that is Evan.”  
  
“I’m Blaine’s boyfriend Kurt,” Kurt stood up straighter.   
  
“Did Blaine tell you that he used to check out my dick in the locker room?” Pete glared at Blaine who had shrunk down slightly. “We were all best friends for years and years and then suddenly he is looking at us like some kind of pervert?”  
  
“That’s enough,” Kurt growled.   
  
“I’m sorry cocksucker, did I say that I was done talking?” Pete’s voice dropped.  
  
“Hey!” Blaine stood up faster. “Don’t talk to Kurt that way.”   
  
“Now you’ve got some balls of your own huh?” Evan laughed.   
  
“I’m tired. Tired of fucking morons you. I went through hell now I’m done. Go away and leave me lone,” Blaine’s eyes were icy.   
  
“Excuse me?” Monica’s reedy voice broke through the silence. “The hell is your problem?”  
  
“Never before because I was scared,” Blaine let out a harsh laugh. “But you said to Kurt. You were cruel and small and evil and so pathetic. No clue why I afraid of you. I’m sorry for you. My boyfriend and I are going New York. We’re making it. You’re here. Still cruel and small and pathetic.”  
  
“Now please move we have to go,” Kurt made a shooing motion.   
  
“Yes going to have wild, gay sex,” Blaine gave them a little wave, tangled their fingers together, and walked past the slack jawed teens.   
  
With a huge grin, Kurt pressed a messy kiss to Blaine’s lips and turned to smirk at the stunned group behind them. Blaine’s hand tightened on Kurt’s and as soon as they got outside he pulled them into a sprint for their usual walking path.   
  
Blaine laughed and spun Kurt around, grinning widely.   
  
“Oh my God Blaine!” Kurt giggled burying his face into his boyfriend’s neck.  
  
“Can’t believe it,” Blaine said, breathing harshly. “They  _tortured_  me. I hated them and I’ve wanted to say that forever. Oh my God! Their stupid faces.”  
  
Kurt pulled him in for a deep kiss.   
  
“I understood you,” Kurt’s grin was making his face hurt. “That was perfect Blaine.”  
  
“No more. No more being sorry. No more being walked on,” Blaine’s eyes absolutely blazed. “I want back to school. I’m going to New York with you.”  
  
An electric shock raced through Kurt’s whole body.   
  
In that moment he cursed the fact that he had left the ring in his other jacket pocket.   
  
“I know,” Kurt whispered, staring at his boyfriend’s face. “Hey…let’s go back to my house. We can watch some of your favorite movies and get that unhealthy pizza you love.”  
  
Blaine pressed a quick kiss to his lips and they started walking down the sidewalk together. The closer that they got to the Hummel-Hudson house the more shaky and nervous Kurt got.   
  
 _Oh God_  
  
He thought as they turned on their street.   
  
 _I’m going to propose_  
  
They were getting closer.  
  
 _Should I practice? Blaine, the love of my life, will you be my husband?_  
  
Just a few houses down.  
  
 _Blaine, sweet darling Blaine, I want to get a now legal marriage with you in New York. Ick._  
  
God, next door.   
  
 _Blaine, words can’t describe the depth of love I have for you. Deeper than the seas, deeper than…no. Too wordy_  
  
Kurt placed a shaky hand on the doorknob.  
  
 _Blaine. I love you so much. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. Will you marry me?_  
  
Yes perfect.   
  
“Oh my God!” Finn’s voice broke through his happy thoughts. “Go away!”  
  
Rachel’s piercing shriek made both boys jump as she tried to cover herself from where she was sitting on top of Finn in the living room.  
  
“God Finn!” Kurt spun around, shoving Blaine out of the front door. “In the living room? Really?”   
  
As soon as the door slammed shut he sighed and rubbed his face.  
  
Nothing ruined a proposal faster than Rachel Berry’s breasts.


	27. Chapter 27

Blaine’s efforts in his therapy classes seemed to quadruple after that day. He spent hours practicing his reading and writing and although Kurt missed spending time with him the improvements made up for it.   
  
The little parts of communication that he had taken for granted meant the world to him now. Sleepy sentences mumbled on the phone in the middle of the night, text messages, little messages scribbled onto post-its all made Kurt’s heart jump.   
  
 **From: Blaine <3  
Feb. 2 2:34pm  
  
Lv u  
  
From: Blaine <3  
Feb 5 6:34pm  
  
Why is Sntana here?  
  
From: Blaine <3  
Feb 5 6:36pm  
  
Kurt! She got mkup. Help!  
  
From: Blaine <3  
Feb 6 10:54am  
  
Still mda at you for not sving me  
  
From: Blaine <3  
Feb 10 4:16pm  
  
I love you. I got a 100% on my therapy homework. New York here I come!  
  
From: Blaine <3  
Feb 13 9:13am  
  
I’ll be at your house at six tomorrow night. Don’t make plans. **  
  
Kurt’s face hurt from grinning as he looked over his texts. He could see the pride in Blaine’s eyes as he wrote those texts, seeing the improvement with each one.   
  
No matter what Blaine had planned for this years Valentine’s Day it was going to blow last years out of the water.   
  
A sharp rap on the door made Kurt leap to his feet and run to open it. Outside, Blaine was standing on the porch, grinning like a loon. He was well dressed for the holiday in a light pink button up shirt and a white bow tie.   
  
“Hi,” Blaine said simply, eyeing Kurt’s tight jeans and red vest over a black shirt.   
  
“Hey there!” Kurt stepped out and shut the door behind him. “So, what do you have planned for tonight?”  
  
“No,” Blaine placed a finger on his lips. “Surprise.”  
  
Kurt rolled his eyes and got into the passenger side of Blaine’s car. Ever since Blaine was able to retake the test and get his license he insisted on driving everywhere.   
  
He pulled out of the driveway smoothly and started down the street. They drove for almost twenty minutes before Blaine pulled over in a secluded park area. A white bed sheet was hung up between two trees and Blaine drive right up to it.   
  
“What’s going on?” Kurt asked, curious, but Blaine just grinned and jumped out of the car before running to the trunk. He was unable to stop from smiling as he heard Blaine moving things from the trunk up to the top of the car before plopping back into the driver’s seat.   
  
“Here,” He handed over a bag, smile bright on his face.   
  
Kurt opened the bag and laughed when he saw it was full of the Lima Bean’s cupid cookies.   
  
“I never did get to share it with you,” Blaine smiled. “And dinner.”  
  
Blaine reached into the back and handed him a grease splattered paper bag. Kurt’s face screwed up when he pulled out a burger and fries and the frown only got worse when he was handed a huge chocolate milkshake.   
  
“Blaine…sweetie. Do you have any idea how many calories are in this?” Kurt asked and Blaine laughed.   
  
“No,” Blaine grinned, turning towards him. “Today not impressing each other. I don’t care if you are fat or oily or skip routine. You didn’t care when I was hurt right?”  
  
“Of course not!” Kurt gasped.   
  
“So, let just get fat together,” Blaine’s eyes sparkled. “It’s fun.”  
  
He teasingly dangled a fry in front of Kurt’s mouth and laughed when he bit it.   
  
“Fine,” He grinned around the fry getting a snort from his boyfriend.   
  
“Ah!” Blaine raised a finger, reaching for a small remote and pressing a button. He clearly had put a projector on the roof of the car and it came to life, casting Moulin Rouge on the white sheet.   
  
Kurt clapped his hands together and laughed. He pressed a quick kiss to Blaine’s lips and reached into his bag for another fry.   
  
Soon they had tossed most of their clothes in the backseat and just sat in the chairs in their undershirts. They were feeding each other fries and taking bites of messy burgers, wiping ketchup from each other’s mouths.   
  
“This was fun,” Kurt said after a long sip from his milkshake.   
  
“I’m glad,” Blaine smiled at him. “Do you like the food?”  
  
“If I’m getting fat with anyone it’s you,” Kurt kissed him soundly. He thought for a long moment about taking out the ring then but realized that sodium swollen fingers might put a damper on the whole event.   
  
Blaine laughed when he pulled back and Kurt winced as he wiped grease off his face.  
  
“Yeah, that totally wasn’t sexy,” He chuckled.   
  
“Almost as bad as when you cover me in glitter our first kiss,” Blaine teased.  
  
Kurt remembered that all too well. He remembered the absolute nervousness in Blaine’s eyes. He remembered the shock as Blaine leaned in to kiss him. He remembered reaching up to cup Blaine’s face.   
  
He knew how he was proposing.   
  
~*~  
  
Once he had the perfect proposal picked it was so easy to figure out all the details. Plans were made and people were contacted within days.   
  
“Nick wouldn’t tell me the songs,” He said as they walked through the front doors of Dalton. “But I think its just an excuse to get you to come back to visit.”  
  
“Probably,” Blaine smiled in response, still feeling the familiar ache from being back in his old school. A tug on his hand surprised him as Kurt led him down another hallway. “Where are we going?”   
  
“I know a shortcut,” Kurt grinned back at him and then broke out into a run.   
  
The boys ran down the hall, laughing and holding hands. Blaine expected them to stop when they reached the end but Kurt kept going until they reached the study lounges.   
  
“What are you doing?” Blaine asked, still laughing.   
  
“Come on,” Kurt gently tugged his hand and they stepped into the room.   
  
The room was illuminated with candles on every flat surface. The smile dropped off Blaine’s face to an expression of complete shock.   
  
“Kurt?” He turned to him, face shadowed by the candlelight.   
  
“You know what happened in this room right?” Kurt asked softly, smiling. “We practiced for Candles in here. Well…less practicing more other things.”  
  
Blaine’s entire face lit up and he smiled back.   
  
“Right here was the place we got together. Here was the place I got the first kiss that mattered. Here was the place where everything in my life came together,” Kurt gently took his hands.   
  
Tears began to build up in Blaine’s eyes.   
  
“I love you so much and my feelings for you have only grown. I…I want to be with you. I want to be with you forever.”  
  
“Forever,” Blaine nodded, voice choked off.  
  
“And so, because I’m a traditionalist,” He knelt down on one knee and pulled the ring box from his pocket.   
  
“Oh Kurt,” Blaine put a hand over his mouth and stared down at him with huge eyes.  
  
“I know last time we were in this room I had a very different box. I promise this one doesn’t have a dead bird in it,” Kurt opened the box and Blaine took in a deep, trembling breath. “So, Blaine Anderson, you know that I love you more than I can say. You’re it for me. You’re all I want for the rest of my life. I don’t want to wait another second to take this step in our lives.”  
  
Tears were slowly sliding down Blaine’s cheeks and his shoulders were hitching.   
  
“Will you marry me?” Kurt breathed.   
  
“Yes,” Blaine blurted out, nodding his head. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.”  
  
Kurt’s face hurt from the huge smile that spread across his face and he took Blaine’s trembling hand, sliding the ring on. With a huge grin, Blaine pulled Kurt up to his feet and kissed him deeply.   
  
“Oh my God Kurt,” Blaine pressed his face against Kurt’s neck. “Been wait for you to say that.”  
  
“You have no idea,” Kurt choked out, heart aching from the emotion.   
  
Then Blaine laughed, sounding far more carefree and happy than Kurt had heard him in months. He held his hand out and beamed down at the sparkling ring on his finger.   
  
“So beautiful,” He whispered. Tears made Blaine’s hazel eyes absolutely glow in the candlelight and he looked so much happier than he ever had in his life.  
  
“Yeah,” Kurt smiled. “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”


	28. Chapter 28

Kurt was pretty sure that proposing was the worst thing he could ever do for his education.   
  
Blaine was working hard on building up his skills so he could take the GRE and Kurt would come over to work on his homework with him. It would only take ten minutes of quietly studying for Blaine to start admiring his ring and only fifteen before he was perched in his fiance’s lap.   
  
“Hon,” Kurt chuckled as Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt’s neck. “I really need to finish this essay.”  
  
“Mmhmm,” Blaine mumbled, continuing to mouth at his throat.   
  
“You need to study,” Kurt sighed, pushing a pouting Blaine away. “If you study for an hour then you can get a reward. Okay?”  
  
Blaine sighed and flopped back onto where he originally lay on the floor.   
  
The sound of scratching pens was the only sound for all of two minutes before Blaine started tapping his pen on the notebook, sighing again. He stopped instantly at Kurt’s glare but grinned.   
  
“Blaine,” Kurt said slowly. “Work on your homework.”  
  
“It bore,” Blaine whined, getting a small smile in return.   
  
“I swear Blaine, I’m going to have to be the one to help our kids with homework. You’ll be absolutely hopeless at that,” Kurt teased.   
  
A silly grin spread across Blaine’s face at the mention of their future children and Kurt found himself smiling back.   
  
The comfortable silence continued as Kurt continued the essay and Blaine scribbled into his workbook.   
  
“It’s…” Blaine hesitated, cheeks growing red. “It’s hard.”  
  
“What?” Kurt’s head snapped up, eyes wide.   
  
“Not that,” Blaine rolled his eyes, slapping Kurt on the thigh. “It silly. Just a passage but it’s hard.”  
  
Oh.   
  
“Honey, you can’t expect to spring back to where you were. You’re doing so much better and with some practice you’ll get it.”  
  
“Hmm,” Blaine raised his eyebrows. “I can’t and it so simple. God, so stupid.”  
  
“Shut up,” Kurt rolled his eyes and moved over to sit next to his fiancé. “You’re not stupid. Let me help.”  
  
Kurt could understand Blaine’s frustration. The homework was just a simple passage with context questions and Blaine really was doing better but had trouble reading. He stuttered over words and had to follow his finger as he read.   
  
“Ugh,” He moaned, cheeks burning.   
  
“No, you’re doing good. Come on, keep reading the passage for me,” Kurt tried to encourage him but Blaine just frowned.   
  
“Kurt, can’t read at fifth level,” Blaine mumbled dejectedly. “I’m like ten year old.”  
  
His face crumpled slightly and he turned his head away when Kurt couldn’t find a way to respond.   
  
“If I can’t read then what college want me?” He whispered. “What I am going to do? Can’t be teacher then.”  
  
“Sweetheart,” Kurt kissed him on the top of his head.  
  
“Maybe I can just stay home?” Blaine looked at him with wet, pleading eyes. “Just keep house clean and take care. I can do that. I’ll come to New York.”  
  
“Blaine, I don’t want you to be my housewife,” Kurt whispered against his curls. “I want you to be who you want to be. You want to be a teacher? Do it. You are the most determined amazing person I know and you can do it.”  
  
“You don’t need be nice,” Blaine rolled his eyes.   
  
“I’m being honest,” Kurt shifted around to sit in front of him. “Blaine look at me.”  
  
He gently took Blaine’s hands, running his fingers over the ring. Blaine gave him a shaky smile, obviously trying to keep in tears.   
  
“This ring is a promise. Not just that we’ll be together forever, that’s just part of it. I promise to be there for you. I promise to support you and love you. I promise to do whatever I can to make you happy.”  
  
Blaine looked down at their intertwined hands.   
  
“Now, if I truly thought that you would be happy fetching my slippers and pipe after I get home from work then I would be all for it. However, I know that you would be miserable. Blaine, you want to teach kids. You want to inspire children and teach them about music. Without that, you would never be happy and that would kill me.”  
  
He leaned forward pressing kisses to Blaine’s face and when he leaned back the other boy was smiling.   
  
“I am happy,” Blaine tightened his fingers. “You make me happy.”  
  
Kurt grinned and kissed him again, just allowing a minute to be with the man he loved.   
  
“I’m glad and I am so proud of you but it would absolutely kill me if you stopped when you were doing so well. You can do this and you’ve come so far,” Kurt settled back next to him.   
  
With a sigh, Blaine picked up his pencil and notebook. He leaned against Kurt, nudging him with his shoulder, and got back to work.   
  
Kurt tried not to notice when Blaine started dangling his pencil in his fingertips for Tie to play with.   
  
“Can Tie come New York?” Blaine asked, scratching the purring cat under the chin.   
  
“Of course,” Kurt grinned. “She’s part of our family right?”  
  
“Yeah,” Blaine tickled her belly and smiled.   
  
Another hour later and Blaine was desperate to get out of the house. After swearing to finish all of his homework he left to pick them both up some coffee and biscotti.   
  
The familiar barista smiled at him and wrote down his order before handing him a bag of biscotti and two on a plate to eat while he waited. With a bright smile, Blaine turned to his usual table and froze.  
  
Sebastian was smirking up at him.   
  
“Hey there Blaine,” He said smoothly, making the hair on the back of his neck rise.  
  
“What do you want?” Blaine snapped, eyes narrowed.   
  
“You’ve improved,” Sebastian raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his drink. “I’m guessing Kurt has given you a lot of practice with your mouth.”  
  
Blaine let out a humorless laugh and rolled his eyes.   
  
“Does it ever get old?” He asked. “Just looking sex all the time?”  
  
“Does it ever get old sleeping with the same guy over and over again?” Sebastian replied. “I mean…Kurt can’t be all that great.”  
  
“We’re getting married,” Blaine tried not to smile at the shocked look on Sebastian’s face. “So in twenty years I’ll have Kurt. I’ll be in love. I’ll be whole. And you? You’ll be alone. You’ll be trying be part of a whole but you never will.”  
  
“Thanks for the dramatic speech Blaine,” Sebastian scoffed, leaning back.   
  
“I feel sorry for you,” Blaine continued, emotions rising up in his chest. “I should hate but I just feel bad. You’re going to live life lonely and never know how happy you can be.”  
  
The barista called out his name and handed him a carrier of drinks.   
  
“Anyway,” Blaine gave him a humorless smile. “You talk sex so much, it’s obvious you overcompensating for something.”  
  
With that Blaine knocked Sebastian’s coffee out of his hand and smirked when it splashed into the Warbler’s lap.


	29. Chapter 29

Twenty six days until graduation.   
  
The number was constantly swirling around in Blaine’s head. He thought about it while he worked on his homework, while he sat through his speech therapy, while he lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.   
  
Now it completely consumed his thoughts as he walked hand in hand with Kurt up the stairs to the Warbler’s graduation party. Bad karaoke music blasted from the front door of Nick’s huge house and shrieks of laughter came from the backyard.   
  
“Hey!” A clearly wasted Trent shouted as soon as they walked in. “It’s the future Mr. and Mr. Hummel-Andersons…Anderson-Hummels…Andmmels?...Hummelsons…Andumelstiens?”  
  
“Thanks for the introduction Trent,” Kurt laughed, shaking his head.   
  
“Really man, we have celebratory champagne,” Trent looped an arm around both of them. “Because you’re getting married. Married! Well…it’s not so much champagne as it is wine…and it’s not so much wine as it is cheap ass liquor…but yay!”  
  
“So, Mr. Andmelstien can I get you a glass of cheap ass liquor?” Kurt asked getting a loud laugh from Blaine.   
  
“Such a gentleman,” They made their way to the kitchen where Kurt mixed them both a drink with the various bottles laying around.   
  
They stood off to the side, sipping on their weak drinks quietly before Nick saw them. The Warbler rushed over with a half-full bottle of vodka and grinned wildly.   
  
“I totes saw you make those drinks Kurtie,” Nick said, only a slight slur to his words.  
  
“Does drinking turn you into a thirteen year old girl?” Kurt asked getting a shriek of laughter in return.   
  
“I know…I knoooow that you guys are like betrothed or engaged or whatever but that doesn’t mean that you can be old fuddy duddy peoples. You still have time before you guys become a lame married couple,” He gleefully poured a generous amount of alcohol into both of their cups before running off to refill other people’s drinks.   
  
“Well…we did walk and you parents are gone for the week,” Kurt smiled. “Let’s let loose and then we can stay at your house tonight.”  
  
“Cheers,” Blaine clinked the plastic cups together and took a big drink.   
  
One and a half drinks later found them in the living room dancing along to the pounding music. Blaine pressed a quick kiss to his fiancé’s lips before giggling softly against his lips.   
  
“What’s so funny?” Kurt asked, head fuzzy.   
  
“Nothing,” Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt’s neck. “I just…”  
  
“SHOT TRAIN!” A shout echoed through the packed living room. “First one goes to the happy couple!”  
  
Both boys were pulled apart, laughing, and the bottles of alcohol were lifted over their mouths. After they had a good mouthful each the Warblers went on to their next victims.   
  
Kurt and Blaine grinned at each other, heads buzzing and throats burning.   
  
“I’m done here. Can we go back to your house?” Kurt asked into Blaine’s ear, pressing his lips to the shell.   
  
“Yes,” Blaine nodded, turning his head to capture his lips in a firm kiss.   
  
They said their quick goodbyes to their friends before beginning to short walk back to Blaine’s house. The quiet of the night was broken by giggles and stumbles over their own feet.   
  
“Hurry now,” Kurt laughed in Blaine’s ear as he unlocked the door and they stumbled in, kissing.   
  
They toed off their shoes before racing up the stairs to Blaine’s bedroom and jumping on the bed. For a moment they just grabbed onto each other and rolled on the bed, laughing.   
  
The playful touches took on another tone as they began to strip off each other’s clothes and kiss deeper.   
  
“Oh,” Blaine let out a choked off moan as Kurt began to kiss his way down his chest, smiling wickedly up at him.   
  
“What do you want baby?” Kurt asked softly, pressing a quick kiss to his thigh. “Tell me.”  
  
“God please,” Blaine whimpered, hazel eyes wide. “Suck me please. Need your mouth on me. You’re so good at it.”  
  
“You’ve got a dirty mouth on you,” Kurt nipped at the soft skin.   
  
“I can finally say all the filthy things I think about,” Blaine panted, smiling widely. “I’m going take advantage.”  
  
“I’m not complaining,” Kurt gave him a sly smile before running his tongue up the length of his cock making him arch his back. “In fact I like it.”  
  
He then suddenly sank his mouth over Blaine’s cock, holding his hips down. He bobbed his head up and down and Blaine just babbled.   
  
“Oh. Oh. Oh. Baby. Oh God Kurt,” He let out in one long groan. “So good so beautiful. Love you. Oh my God.”  
  
Kurt pulled off with a teasing lick before leaning over the bed to dig through the bedside table. He moved back, gripping the lube in one hand, before returning to Blaine’s cock.   
  
“Oh God!” Blaine cried out sharply, one hand gripping his headboard tightly as one of Kurt’s fingers teased at his hole. “Yes baby. I need you in me.”  
  
“I’m loving this new found talent for dirty talk,” Kurt said sweetly, moving his fingers in circles along Blaine’s thigh.   
  
“Mud,” Blaine said, smiling and Kurt frowned in confusion. “Dirt, trash, dust.”  
  
“Oh. My. God,” Kurt burst out laughing. “Baby you ruined the moment.”  
  
“I can get really dirty now. Honey I spilled a potted plant all over you white carpet,” He whispered hotly, grinning all the while. “That get you hot?”  
  
He let out a ragged gasp as Kurt suddenly thrust a finger into him, twisting it.  
  
“Hmm, seems like I found a way to shut you up,” He said simply, pushing another finger into the writhing boy underneath him.   
  
“There are other ways,” Blaine teased, getting a wide grin in return.   
  
Their teasing smiles gave way to moans and whimpers as Kurt slipped in another finger. Blaine rolled his hips down onto his fiance’s fingers, whimpering. He slowly pulled out his fingers and moved to position himself between his fiance’s thighs.   
  
“Wait,” Blaine gasped out, reaching up to cup Kurt’s face in his hands. “I love you. I love you so much.”  
  
“I…I don’t have words to explain how much I love you,” Kurt replied, placing his hand over Blaine’s.   
  
“You at a lost for words?” Blaine smiled.  
  
“You do that to me,” Kurt kissed him sweetly. “Can I…”  
  
He was interrupted by a sharp nod and a thrust of the hips. Kurt laughed and pressed slowly in to Blaine, making them both gasp.   
  
“Please move,” Blaine whispered against his lips. “Need more need you.”  
  
They started off a slow rhythm, just clinging to each other. Blaine hooked his arms around Kurt’s neck and buried his face into his shoulder.   
  
With each thrust both boys let out a soft gasp, pressing open mouthed kisses to each other’s lips.   
  
“Love you so much,” Blaine whispered into his ear. “You’re it. You’re it for me. Love you forever and always.”  
  
“Forever,” Kurt whispered back, smiling.   
  
Kurt began to move a little faster, heart near bursting with the love he felt for the boy in his arms. He could feel Blaine’s engagement ring digging into his shoulder and tears began to prick at his eyes.   
  
Twenty six more days of this. Twenty six more days of having the love of his life in his arms. Twenty six more days of feeling complete. Twenty six days of seeing his reason for living.   
  
Blaine began to gasp in his ear and grab at him tighter.   
  
Twenty six more days until he graduated.


	30. Chapter 30

The scratchy cheap material absolutely made Kurt’s skin crawl.   
  
“With the amount of money we spend at this school you think the graduation robes wouldn’t be made out of potato sacks,” He mumbled.   
  
“I think you look adorable,” Blaine grinned, adjusting the hat on his head.   
  
“I feel stupid,” Kurt scowled and crossed his arms.   
  
“At least we all look stupid together!” Nick said loudly, looping his arms around their necks before seeing Blaine. “I mean…sorry man…”  
  
He stood awkwardly still for a few moments before slinking off and leaving the couple standing in the large hallway.   
  
“It’s like I’m dead,” Blaine scoffed, rolling his eyes.   
  
“Dead sexy,” Kurt fought back a smile.   
  
“Wow Kurt,” Blaine tried to keep a stern look on his face.   
  
“They just don’t know how to deal with it,” Kurt squeezed his fiance’s hand. “I mean, this was supposed to be your graduation as well.”   
  
A grimace flickered across Blaine’s face and for a moment he looked down at his feet.   
  
“Yeah, it was.”  
  
“Is,” Jeff’s voice startled them both and they spun around to see him in his cap and gown holding a box.   
  
“Huh?” Blaine raised his eyebrows.   
  
“It is your graduation,” He fished out a piece of paper and handed it over. “This is a request to the dean for you to walk the stage. All of the Warblers signed it but the dean didn’t even need to look at it before he approved it.”  
  
Blaine stared at the long list of signatures.   
  
“You don’t get a diploma but since you’re finishing school through correspondence we wanted you to get a graduation,” Kurt explained, getting a stunned look. “I know technically it doesn’t mean anything but…”  
  
“It means everything,” Blaine whispered, voice cracking. “A couple of months ago I didn’t even think I would be able to be here. I was so afraid…so scared never be able to do anything. Graduation seemed out of the picture all together.”  
  
“We wouldn’t graduate without you man,” Wes smiled and a few tears slipped down Blaine’s cheeks.   
  
“You need to get dressed hon,” Kurt brushed some tears off his fiance’s cheeks. “You don’t want to be late for your own graduation.”  
  
Blaine smiled tearfully and pulled Kurt by his hand into the dressing room.   
  
“No funny business! We’ve got fifteen minutes!” Nick shouted as the door clicked shut.   
  
Blaine nearly lost it again when Kurt handed him the familiar uniform. His hands trembled as he buttoned up the blazer and tied his tie.   
  
“Dapper as always,” Kurt grinned, straightening the knot and clipping the silver tie clip on it.   
  
He quickly pulled on the robes, laughing when the sleeves fell a little long on his hands and grinned at Kurt when he placed the hat on his head.   
  
“Before we go out there and see all those people I wanted to talk to you,” Kurt stepped forward and placed a hand on his cheek. “Blaine, I am so so so proud of you. I know I say it all the time but now, seeing you here, I have never been so proud to be your fiancé.”  
  
Blaine smiled brightly at the word.   
  
“I love you,” Blaine placed his hand’s over Kurt’s.   
  
They kissed sweetly before a sharp knock pulled them apart.   
  
“Dudes…not trying to be awkward but come out unless you want to explain yourselves to the teacher,” Thad’s uncomfortable words made them both smile.   
  
“Let’s go graduate,” Kurt squeezed his hands.   
  
They stepped out into the room and were instantly swarmed by their friends. The next few moments were complete chaos as the students were ushered into alphabetical order and then led into the main auditorium.   
  
Kurt couldn’t help but smile at Blaine’s awed expression as they filed into their seats. The auditorium was full of friends and family who were snapping pictures constantly.   
  
Wes walked up to the podium after the dean gave the initial welcome speech. He gave a bright smile to the groups before taking out a folded piece of paper.   
  
“Welcome friends and family of the soon to be Dalton alumni. I am Wes Montgomery, the valedictorian of this class and I am honored to speak to you today. All of those who know me know that I like to talk.”  
  
A chuckle ran through the group.   
  
“I researched so many graduation speeches and juggled ideas about comparing our journey to a voyage or something equally cheesy but decided against it. Most speeches talk about how they know so much about the world just because of how they got through high school. Well…even though the drama of being a high school seems overwhelming at times we can usually persevere.   
  
In hindsight the horror of being turned down by a girl for prom, or having someone say a rumor about you, or even having someone take your seat in the cafeteria is not the end of the world. When you compare those supposed terrors to the real fear of losing a friend or seeing true evil in the world, high school isn’t that bad. Hell, high school is pretty much a bubble protecting us from the real world.   
  
Despite this we are also allowed a chance to really grow. Even though we are raised in a sterile, overprotected environment we were still given the things that could help us survive. We became friends, best friends, and some of us even became more. Through pain and the trials we faced we created a bond far beyond anything we could have dreamed of.   
  
We began high school as children, some of us more fragile than others, and we made each other into strong young adults. Together, we helped each other grow and together we survived. So, to my friends who have helped me grow, I thank you. Because of you I have seen true friendship and true love.”  
  
A wide smile spread across Kurt’s face at those words.   
  
“So, that’s pretty much all I have to say. Thank you my friends.” Wes finished simply, smiling at the group, and stepped back.   
  
The auditorium exploded into applause as he turned to take his seat. The boys chattered excitedly about the speech for a few moments before the dean shushed them.   
  
“Alright students, we’re going to call your names in order,” He took the list and smiled at them again.   
  
“First, our valedictorian,” He read. “Weston Montgomery.”  
  
Blaine couldn’t help but smile at Wes’s wince when his full name was called but clapped as his friend got his diploma.   
  
A few more names were called before the dean looked right at him with a smile.   
  
“Blaine Anderson,” To Blaine’s relief there was no announcement about the injury. No special treatment and no rambling speech.   
  
Just him walking across the stage to graduate.   
  
It was so normal that he had to fight not to cry.   
  
The rest of the ceremony passed by in a blur. He vaguely remembered cheering for his finace and throwing his hat before being engulfed in about a hundred hugs. It stunned him that for the first time he really felt just like a normal high school student…well, now alumni.   
  
“Why hello high school graduate!” Kurt chirped as he pulled Blaine into a tight hug.   
  
“Not technically,” Blaine grinned.   
  
“Doesn’t matter to me,” Kurt kissed him firmly. They both smiled into the kiss before they were swarmed by family members.   
  
Kurt watched as the Andersons tearfully hugged their son, holding him close and whispering to him. Blaine had his eyes tightly closed and tears gathered in the corners of his eyes.   
  
“I’m so proud of you Kurt,” Strong arms pulled him into a hug and Kurt turned to his father. “Not just about graduating, I always knew you were going to do that. I’m proud of the man you’ve become.”  
  
“I had a pretty good role model,” Kurt smiled and Burt beamed at him.   
  
“Hey!” Wes ran up to the two of them, smiling at Burt. “A bunch of us are going over to Nick’s to hang out, party, and eat a ton of junk food. You in?”  
  
“Sure. Let me just go home and change into something more comfortable,” His grin widened when Wes rolled his eyes.   
  
“So we’ll expect you in a few hours?”  
  
“Hush you!” Kurt laughed, turning to where his finace had just joined them. “We’ll be there.”  
  
Later that night all the boys were surrounding the fire pit in Nick’s backyard roasting marshmallows. Blaine was sitting in front of Kurt, leaning back against his chest and happily munched on a s’more.   
  
“It’s weird right?” Trent asked, sucking marshmallow off of his fingers. “Graduating. I mean, we’re all going everywhere. Kurt’s off to New York, Wes and David are going to California, I’m going to Chicago, Nick is off to Michigan and Blaine is going to New York in a year. It’s just weird to think about.”  
  
“I’m gonna miss you guys,” David spoke up, looking around the group.   
  
“Don’t get sappy man,” Instantly Nick sounded choked.   
  
Blaine laughed softly and kicked at his friend before laying his head back on Kurt’s chest.   
  
“We’ll still see each other,” Kurt rested his chin on top of Blaine’s head.   
  
“We will,” Wes smiled at the Warblers.   
  
“Once a Warbler always Warbler,” Blaine said simply.


	31. Chapter 31

It was like he was living in one of those Sarah McLachlan SPCA commercials.   
  
Blaine was sitting among the piles of boxes, legs crossed, and staring at him with those huge hazel eyes.   
  
Tomorrow was the day that Kurt left for New York and while it was already hard for him, it was so much more difficult with his fiancé sighing in the corner every five minutes.   
  
“So, my plane leave at ten which means we should probably be out of here by eight,” Kurt busied himself with taping up the last few boxes.   
  
Most of his things had been shipped and were waiting until he arrived in New York but of course he had to keep a few necessities which ended up being two suitcases. Unfortunately Blaine was almost the opposite of helpful.   
  
“Can I stay here tonight?” Blaine asked softly, eyes wide.   
  
“Of course,” Kurt sighed, kneeling down in front of him. “My dad already asked me to invite you.”  
  
Blaine smiled, took his face in his hands and kissed him sweetly.   
  
“You know that your dad agreed to turn other way while we had sex right?” Blaine’s eyes sparkled as Kurt shrugged.   
  
“It’s our last night together until Thanksgiving,” Kurt pecked him on the lips. “I’m sure that he can make an exception.”  
  
Blaine sighed and dropped his head to his fiancé’s shoulder. With a faint smile, Kurt rested his cheek on top of the curly head.   
  
“It’s just too sad with your room so empty,” Blaine whispered.   
  
“We’ll talk every day,” Kurt promised, rubbing his back. “And then when you get your acceptance letter and come to New York we’ll be together again.”  
  
Blaine smiled sweetly and kissed him again and again, getting more desperate with each one until they were both panting. They tumbled, giggling onto the bed and clothes were taken off quickly.   
  
In a familiar, well practiced move, Kurt stretched himself out over Blaine’s smaller body. After the attack Blaine had needed the reassurance of touch so badly that he wanted to feel Kurt everywhere.   
  
Kurt really didn’t mind.   
  
He loved taking care of his fiancé. He loved comforting him gentle touches. He loved showing him that he didn’t need to be perfect or work so hard to compensate for his injury.   
  
So when Blaine let out a breathy sigh, face relaxing, as Kurt slid a finger into him it made his own mind short circuit. He never had an idle hand, while one was working his fiancé open the other was gently soothing along his chest, stomach, thighs or any skin he could reach.   
  
Blaine looped arms around Kurt’s neck and pulled him into a heated kiss, breath hitching when another finger was added.   
  
“God I love you,” Kurt whispered against his lips. “You’re so perfect. You’re so beautiful. You’re everything to me.”  
  
Tears made Blaine’s eyes grow brighter as he kissed along Kurt’s hand which had started to caress his cheek.   
  
“I love you,” He breathed, nodding once and letting out a soft moan when Kurt slid into him.   
  
They instantly pushed together as close as possible with Blaine wrapping legs around his waist and just trying to fall into each other’s skin.   
  
Tears began to spill down Blaine’s cheeks and he sobbed into Kurt’s chest. They fell into an easy, slow rhythm whispering words of love and promises to each other.   
  
Once they had both come undone in each other’s arms they curled up under the sheets and clung to each other.   
  
“I’m going to miss you so much,” Blaine whispered against his chest before he pressed an open mouthed kiss to it.   
  
“I doubt you’ll miss me as much as I’ll miss you,” Kurt smiled. “I really don’t know how I’m going to survive without you.”  
  
Blaine chuckled and stretched out a little bit.   
  
“We’ll make it,” Blaine smiled. “I am so proud of you for New York. It’s fun to say that my fiancé is a college student.”  
  
Kurt laughed and they kissed again.   
  
The night continued with them laying as close as they could to each other and making love whenever they had the energy. In the early morning hours they both fell asleep in each other’s arms.   
  
“Kurt? Blaine?” Finn’s timid voice woke them up. “Okay…so I know you’re probably naked…but please don’t be having sex right now. Look, we’re going to leave in an hour and you know how anal…oh God…um…how Burt is with being on time…please don’t make me send him up. He said he won’t knock.”  
  
“We’re awake Finn,” Kurt mumbled and Blaine chucked.   
  
“Oh good,” Finn sighed heavily.   
  
“We’re coming,” Blaine said with a huge yawn.  
  
“DUDE!” Finn sputtered. “Did not need to know that! God!”  
  
They both giggled as Finn stormed down the stairs and slowly got out of bed to get dressed. Wordlessly, they buttoned up each other’s shirts and straightened up each other’s appearances.   
  
“Very handsome,” Blaine winked. “Like a proper New York gentleman.”  
  
The stab of pain left them both breathless for a moment when they remembered exactly what was happening this morning.   
  
“My dad’s going to try to make pancakes,” Kurt mumbled. “We should probably go save him.”  
  
“Think we can ask for banana pancakes to try to make Finn more uncomfortable?” Blaine grinned over his shoulder as they carried the last of the bags downstairs.  
  
The rest of breakfast was spent giggling to each other as Finn stared intently at his plate, frowning. Once full of Burt surprisingly good pancakes, they all piled into the family SUV and started to the airport.  
  
The two of them sat as close as they could, legs intertwined and heads pressed against each other. It felt so normal and so perfect sitting in the car humming along to the radio, fingers twisted together.  
  
“Got your ticket?” Blaine asked, raising an eyebrow. “All of your liquids in approved containers?”  
  
“Yes dear,” Kurt rolled his eyes fondly.   
  
“Think you two can even separate back there?” Burt asked with a laugh.   
  
“Not if we can help it,” Kurt pressed a kiss to his finace’s forehead.   
  
“Gross,” Finn muttered, in the middle of texting Rachel who had left the day before. “Please stop before I fall into a diabetic coma.”  
  
“You’ve been listening to Rachel,” Kurt nodded, impressed. “That’s new.”  
  
Blaine’s soft smiles grew more forced as they got closer to the airport and when they pulled into the parking lot he was stiff and serious.   
  
“Let’s go check your baggage,” Burt helped pull out his suitcase and steered the family into the airport.   
  
Blaine had his side plastered against Kurt’s during the baggage check and stood silently the entire time, hand squeezing tight.   
  
“Okay kiddo, we’re not allowed to go past security so this is goodbye,” Burt pulled his son into a tight hug, holding him close. “Be safe. Be smart. Call when you get there.”  
  
Kurt fought back tears as he clung to his father before stepping backwards, letting out a long shaky breath. He then hugged Carole and Finn tightly before turning to his fiancé.   
  
Tears were already streaming down Blaine’s face and he was curled into himself. Without a word, Kurt pulled him close and they both melted into each other.   
  
“I don’t want you to go,” Blaine sniffed, fingers curling into Kurt’s shirt.   
  
“I’ll never say goodbye to you,” Kurt breathed back. “Never Blaine.”  
  
Blaine nodded and met him in a long kiss that tasted like tears. They separated and pressed their foreheads together.   
  
“I have to go,” Kurt whispered. “Rachel is waiting and I need to go through security.”  
  
“No,” Blaine shook his head, more tears falling.   
  
“I’ll call you the moment that I get there,” Kurt whispered into his ear. “We can skype tonight.”  
  
With a great shuddering breath Blaine stepped back, scrubbing at his tear stained face. They squeezed each other’s hands before Kurt turned to walk towards security.   
  
Every step he took made him feel like he was gaining ten pounds. Kurt knew that he was walking towards his future but he felt like he was also leaving it behind. It was like he was being torn in two.   
  
And it hurt so bad.   
  
As he handed the guard his identification and ticket with trampling hands he turned to meet those hazel eyes one last time.   
  
They both smiled.   
  
The moment the plane touched down in New York Kurt had his phone to his ear. The horrible feeling of homesickness actually left him breathless when Blaine answered.   
  
Because Blaine was home.   
  
He was there when Kurt needed to vent about his horrible biology professor.   
  
He was there to make the world seem brighter when he got accepted into NYU himself after a rigorous application and a ton of hard work.  
  
He was there when they both tumbled onto their shared bed for the first night.   
  
He was there to cry with Kurt as they shared vows and exchange rings.   
  
He was there to gently sing their fussy baby to sleep when she had colic.   
  
So, years later, he found himself pressed on the other side of his daughter’s room listening to Blaine’s soft voice. He found it amazing that after all this time, he was the one who found himself without words.   
  
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night,” Blaine sang to their daughter, gently running his finger’s through her curly hair as she fell asleep. “Take these broken wings and learn to fly.”  
  
 _All your life. You were only waiting for this moment to arise._


End file.
